The Line Begins to Blur
by Virus Vescichetta
Summary: All Kailev-Tel wants is to be just another nameless Argonian wandering the roads of Tamriel, but being the Dragonborn kind of complicates that. Thankfully the women of Skyrim are happy to show him the benefits of being a living legend.
1. Chapter 1

Pre-story A/N: First off, the URL should be its own disclaimer. If I owned Elder Scrolls, the fuck would I be doing posting here? Credit goes to Nine Inch Nails for the song The Line Begins to Blur. Great song, not that this story shares any themes from it. Oh, and this will most certainly earn its M rating. So in case you accidentally stumbled in here thinking it was T or something...keep reading, actually. It's never too early to see this kinda shit.

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><p>I supposed it was the jostling of the prisoner cart that woke me up from my rather unpleasant slumber as I came to. The back of my head was splitting from where a soldier's pommel had cracked it and knocked me unconscious, but the pain wasn't at the forefront of my mind. That place was taken up by the bindings around my wrists.<p>

I didn't rightly know why I was taken prisoner. It was as likely because of bad timing as anything else. I was just trying to cross the border into Skyrim from Cyrodiil and had managed to stumble into an ambush along with a group of soldiers that were apparently rebelling against the Empire, if one of the soldier's shout of "You rebel scum!" was any indication.

"You're finally awake," the Nord across from me spoke when he noticed me. He was dressed in what looked like a chain-mail cuirass under a dark blue tunic. "You walked right into that Imperial ambush along with us and that thief over there," he motioned next to himself with his head.

"Damn you, Stormcloaks," said thief grumbled. I vaguely recognized the name from the scuffle that had gotten me captured. "Everything was just fine until you came along. The Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I couldn't stolen that horse and been halfway to Hammerfell by now." He turned towards me. "You there, we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants."

"Somehow I doubt that's going to make much difference," I replied. "We're here and there isn't much we can do about it now." I looked beside myself and saw another Nord dressed in a bear pelt cloak. He was gagged and I noted that he was the only one who was.

"He's right. We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief," the Nord said.

The conversation between the two carried on, though my head started to grow too fuzzy to really make most of it out. I shook it in an attempt to clear it and immediately regretted the decision as it set the throbbing inside to a terribly rapid tempo. It registered in the back of my mind that I possibly had a concussion.

"...where we're going, but Sovngarde awaits," my hearing returned just in time to catch the end of the Nord's rather sombre words.

Sovngarde was something I did know something of, and his mention of it could only mean we were being taken to be executed. The thief began to ramble in a rather panicked manner, though I didn't feel the need to. It wasn't as though it would have done me any good to start losing my head before I had even reached the chopping block.

"Hey, what village are you from, horse thief?" the Nord across from me asked.

"What does it matter to you?" the man all but snapped.

"A Nord's last thoughts should be of home."

"...Rorikstead," the answer seemed to calm him slightly. "I'm from Rorikstead."

When we reached the gates of whatever town we were to be executed in, the Legion guard transporting us called out our arrival to a General Tullius, causing the thief to once again started rambling to the Divines.

"General Tullius...the damned soldier governor," the Nord retained his calm. "And he's with the Thalmor. Damned elves probably had something to do with this." The connection made sense, considering that the Aldmeri Dominion all but had the Empire under its thumb. "This is Helgen..." he suddenly became reflective. "I used to be sweet on a girl from here. Funny, when I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers used to feel so safe."

Nearby I heard a child asking his father about us and talking about wanting to watch the soldiers. I almost had to smirk and was more than a little tempted to tell the father to let his boy watch the executions and see how the world works, but I held my tongue.

"Why are we stopping?" the thief suddenly looked around hurriedly as the cart stopped moving.

"Why do you think? End of the line," the Nord answered. An angry sounding woman clad in Imperial captain's armour quickly told us to get out of the cart, as though it were really up to us. "Well, come on then. Best not keep the gods waiting."

"Wait! We're not rebels!" the thief made one last ditch effort at freedom.

"Quiet! Face your death with some courage," the Nord admonished him.

We climbed out of the cart and grouped together in front of a man with a quill and scroll. "Step forward when your names are called!" he shouted out to us. "Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm!"

The man who had previously been sitting beside me in the cart stepped up. I actually had to suppress my surprise, though it suddenly occurred to me that it had been mentioned when my haziness had set in earlier. "It has been an honour, Jarl Ulfric," the blue-clad Nord now beside me said almost reverently as Ulfric walked over to the area around the chopping block.

"Ralof of Riverwood," the soldier called out once again. Ralof, now that I knew his name, walked from beside me and over to stand with the Jarl. "Lokir of Rorikstead."

"No! I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!" the thief all but shouted before breaking off at a sprint. I shook my head in pity as an arrow quickly grew from his back.

"Anyone else feel like running?" the angry captain turned to us.

"Wait," the roll-calling soldier looked at me. "You there. Step forward." I did as he asked and walked up to stand before him. "What's your name?"

"Kailev-Tel," I answered. For a brief instant I wondered if the General behind him would recognize it.

"Are you a relative of one of the Riften dockworkers, Argonian?" the soldier asked. I simply shook my head in response. I had no family or friends of any kind in Skyrim. The trip north was just one more stop in my travels. Clearly it was a decision wrought with foresight and good fortune, considering I'd barely made it past the border before I was scheduled to be executed. "Captain, he's not on the list. What should we do?"

"Forget the list. He goes to the block," she said almost offhandedly.

"I'm sorry...I'll try and make sure your remains get sent back to Black Marsh," the soldier genuinely looked apologetic.

"You're a bitch," I looked the captain coldly in the eye as I said it. "You're a complete and utter bitch and I just wanted to make sure someone in your life told you so before you die a slow and painful death for being such a bitch. May the Daedric Princes have the utmost fun with you in Oblivion," she looked shocked at my words. Or perhaps it had been the deadpan delivery. Either way I quite obediently walked over to the chopping block to stand with Ralof and Ulfric among the snickers of the Stormcloaks around me.

General Tullius was making a great show of apparently berating Ulfric Stormcloak for murdering the High King of Skyrim and starting the war. My mouth was speaking before I truly knew what I was saying. "Yes, because executing him and making him into a martyr is clearly the best idea the Empire could possibly have. It would never make anyone else think that maybe you're as bad as he says you are," I shrugged at the last bit.

A hard blow to the back of my legs from the flat of the captain's sword put me on my knees with a grunt of pain. "You'd best watch your tongue before I cut it out, lizard," she snarled.

The only thing that kept me from continuing my sardonic tirade was what sounded like a roar in the distance. The sound of it chilled me to my core. I didn't know what it was, but it sounded hauntingly familiar. One soldier remarked on it, though the General quickly dismissed it as nothing.

At a nod from him, a priestess quickly started into our last rites. "As we commend your souls to Etherius, blessings of the Eight Divines shine-"

"For the love of Talos, shut up and lets get on with this," a Stormcloak soldier barked as he quite willingly walked up to the block.

"As you wish," the priestess nearly barked right back.

"Come on! I haven't got all morning," he grimaced at the captain before she pushed him to his knees and laid his neck down on the block. He looked the executioner in the eyes before speaking again. "My ancestors are smiling on me, Imperials. Can you honestly say the same?"

For all his gall, it did little to dull the axe that came down on his neck, severing his from his shoulders head in one clean blow. The Imperial captain quite unceremoniously pushed his body to the side with her foot. For all the outraged shouts that followed, the only thing that truly caught in my ear was a very respectful "As fearless in death as he was in life," from Ralof beside me.

"Next, that smart-mouth set of boots," the captain pointed at me with an all-too-delightful look in her eyes.

"And here I was thinking we were getting along so well," I gave her a wry smirk. "I was just thinking of asking if you'd like to grab a pint of mead sometime in the hopes that a bit of drink might help make you less of a cunt." Another roar sounded in the distance, and although this one sounded nearer it went mostly ignored.

She personally walked over and reached to grab one of the spines jutting from the back of my head. A sharp snap at her fingers with my teeth actually made her flinch back a little, which earned her yet another smirk before I walked over to the block and knelt down before it. Before I could bend and put my neck on it the captain put her foot in my back to push me down.

I looked up at the executioner, and presumably unbeknownst to anyone I was quietly preparing a flame spell in my palm. I was thankful that they had bound my wrists in front, and had long since decided that if I was going to die someone was coming with me.

Just as he raised his axe and I readied my spell, the source of the roars made itself quite apparent. A great and terrible looking dragon landed atop the tower behind my would-be murderer and shook the ground enough to throw him off balance. I couldn't shake the feeling that it was staring directly at me, nor could I do much to quell the feelings of fear that welled up within me. There was little hope yet if the dragon decided I was to be its meal.

Nonetheless I rolled over and let loose my spell, igniting the executioner and his clothing with a bright stream of flame. At the same time the dragon picked its moment to strike, letting loose a great howl that sounded almost akin to a vocal shout. It shook the ground again and storm clouds began to form above it. In the confusion I managed to push myself to my feet and followed Ralof into a nearby tower.

Ulfric was waiting there and the two had a hurried conversation I paid little mind to. It seemed unimportant to listen in when there was a very upset dragon burning down the village around us. "Come on, we need to find a way out of here," Ralof tapped me on the shoulder.

"Sounds better than waiting to get eaten," I nodded and followed him up the tower steps. I was struggling with my bindings, but before I could ask for help with them the dragon's head burst in through the wall, letting loose a burst of flame I only narrowly avoided. The Stormcloak further up the stairs wasn't so lucky.

The beast quickly flew off in search of other prey, letting us climb up to the hole and look out to see a rather badly damaged building not far down. "Quickly, jump down to that inn. We'll follow you when we can," Ralof looked at me.

"That sounds like a terrible idea," I frowned as I looked down at the half-destroyed building. I quickly changed my mind when the dragon turned in its flight back towards us and jumped down, a still-intact section of the hay roof breaking my fall before I crashed into the floorboards beneath. "Ow..." I wanted to rub the now sore spot on my tail, but with my wrists tied at my front it proved a difficult proposition.

Another quick hop landed me on the ground outside with the apologetic roll-calling soldier and a few civilians. "You're still alive, prisoner?" he looked surprised.

"I've managed, so far," I shrugged against my bindings.

He turned to an older man with the young boy from earlier. "Take care of the child. I need to find General Tullius."

"Gods guide you, Hadvar," the older man nodded back.

"Come on. We still need to sort out what to do with you," the man I now knew as Hadvar looked at me before running off.

"A dragon is burning down a village around you and you're worried about what to do with a prisoner who wasn't even supposed to be getting executed?" I asked as I followed him. "I can see why the Empire is doing so fantastically with the Aldmeri. You clearly have all of your priorities nicely straightened out."

"Shut up and stay against the wall," he barked back at me just as the dragon landed atop said wall and burned a soldier to a crisp at its base.

"Shutting up," I complied as I winced against the heat from the flames.

We took off again towards the town's keep, weaving between archers and soldiers who were quite vainly fighting the dragon. We ran into Ralof at the keep and a quick back and forth of insults went between him and Hadvar, though I paid little attention to it. It seemed irrelevant to me.

"Come on, I can cut off your bindings inside the keep," Hadvar glanced back at me.

"Finally! It's about time someone suggested such a novel idea," as silly as it was, the news that I'd finally be rid of the things greatly brightened my mood.

Once we were inside, Hadvar leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. "Looks like we're the only ones left...Was that really a dragon?" he asked aloud.

"Either that or a really, really ugly bird," I shrugged for what felt like the hundredth time that day. The comment managed to bring a small smile to the soldier's face.

"Come here, let's see if I can get those bindings off," he walked over to me and with a quick flick of a dagger the rough leather ties were off my wrists. I rubbed at the sore scales that had been rubbed a bit raw by the constant movement. "Take a look around. There should be some gear somewhere in here. I'm going to see if I can find something for these burns."

A quick look around indeed produced a light leather tunic and boots, a pair of swords and even a few septims. I quickly changed, completely forgoing any sort of modesty considering that my only companion had likely seen far worse than a mostly-naked lizard. A couple swings of the swords got me used to their balance and weight. They were simple, but effective, and I was hardly going to argue with free weapons.

Among the personal effects of one of the footlockers I found a steel dagger. It wasn't anything particularly noteworthy, but it was clearly a purchase that some soldier had made for his private gear. It was of fine make and sharpened to a razor's edge, though I noticed it was lacking any sort of blacksmith's seal to name the maker. I took the dagger and its sheath and strapped them to my belt. I had always found a spare dagger at my hip endlessly useful.

After we finished our respective bits of business, we made our way through the keep until we came upon a pair of soldiers clad in familiar blue. "Stormcloaks...maybe they can be reasoned with," Hadvar sounded hopeful.

"You'd think so, what with a dragon outside attacking all of us indiscriminately," I nodded. "And I really would rather not have to - by the Hist!" I was cut off by a warhammer slamming into the ground where I had been standing a moment before. "Really? Is no one in this country reasonable?"

I hopped back to avoid another swing while Hadvar took on the other soldier. I stepped to the side one last time, the warhammer's heavy swing proving to be the man's downfall as I neatly stepped in and slid my sword across his unguarded neck. Hadvar finished his foe in similar fashion, blocking a heavy slice from a greatsword with his shield and simply sticking his blade into the Stormcloak's exposed throat.

"Grace of the Nine, is it going to be like this with every Stormcloak we run into in this place?" I suspected my Argonian version of a frown looked quite odd to the Imperial.

"Very likely," he sighed. "Come on, we have to find a way out of here before that dragon brings this place down around our heads."

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><p>AN: So at the core of this is a story of a Dragonborn that will hopefully be original enough to warrant reading. I guess I should probably warn ahead of time, though, that it will involve a male Argonian in explicitly sexual situations with females of various races (the jury's currently out on Khajiit; I guess I'd be willing to do it if someone asked), so if that shit squicks you out you should probably find a less grammatically well-structured story to read. (There seem to be thousands of those out there, so it shouldn't be hard.) If it's a guilty pleasure or (not so) secret fetish, read on. It isn't one of mine, personally, but I always play as an Argonian and this was an idea that kinda wormed its way into my head so I decided to run with it. The handy thing about not making money off this is no commission to live up to so I can just drop it if it isn't working out. Terrible attitude, I know, and this author's note is dragging on for fucking ever. TL;DR - read if you want, but don't bitch at me about the content cuz you found it fucked up.


	2. Chapter 2

"By the Nine, I was starting to think that place didn't have an exit," I spoke as I inhaled the crisp mountain air of outside. Hadvar and I had spent the last two hours, at least, trying to get out of Helgen Keep. A clawed finger absentmindedly poked at dark grey scales through the slit a Stormcloak blade had left in the side of my leather armour.

"I'm glad you decided to come with me. I wouldn't have made it out of there alive without your help," the Imperial smiled at me gratefully.

"Sure you would've. You just might be missing a couple pieces," I brushed the comment off, hiding the fact that his thanks actually made me somewhat uncomfortable. The comment also reminded me of the now stunted spike on the back left side of my head, causing me to move my hand from my armour to it. I was surprised that the blow hadn't knocked me unconscious, and was thankful I tended to heal quickly. My earlier concussion was gone and I hadn't experienced anymore periods of hazy vision or lightheadedness.

Hadvar noticed and gave my hand a quick nod. "I was sure that bear had you when he swiped your helmet off. I told you we should've snuck by it."

"It'll grow back in a couple days," I shrugged. "Though I am upset about that helmet. It's harder than you might think to carve holes so I can actually wear one."

"I can imagine," he nodded as we started walking down the path. He was leading the way, though to where I had no idea. It wasn't something we had really discussed before. "Finding Argonian clothing must be a trying experience."

"Sometimes. I'm surprised no clever elf has cornered the market on it, yet. He'd make a killing," I remarked offhandedly. "Where are we going, anyway? I'm...mostly just following you right now."

"To Riverwood, a little village just a couple hours down this road," he pointed vaguely northeast. "My uncle is the blacksmith there, so we should at least have a place to stay until we're back on our feet."

I just nodded and we continued on in silence for some minutes before another question occurred to me. "Why was I arrested, anyway? Insofar as I know, border crossing isn't a crime."

Hadvar seemed rather embarrassed as he answered. "You were caught with those Stormcloaks in an ambush by mistake. Believe me, if it were up to me I would have let you go."

"But your captain was a bitch," I finished. "And she probably burned for it. I think there's a word for that."

He nodded and was silent for a moment and then suddenly turned to me. "Look, I know your first impression of the Legion wasn't very receptive, but we could use someone like you in our ranks," his suggestion took me by surprise.

"And why exactly would I want to join up with the people who just tried to have me executed because they were too lazy to sort out some logistics?" I looked at him incredulously. "I don't even know what you're fighting for. No news of any conflict here has reached Cyrodiil." I thought about that for a moment before he answered. "Well, not the civilian populace, at any rate. I'm sure it's all they talk about in the Legion down there."

Most of the rest of the trip to Riverwood was spent by him explaining the situation in Skyrim. Apparently it boiled down to Ulfric Stormcloak murdering the High King over a religious matter and starting a war with the Empire. "You don't honestly think the dragons are on the Stormcloaks' side," I raised a sceptical eye-ridge.

"It attacked just as Ulfric was to be executed. Why else would it do that?"

"Actually, it attacked just as _I_ was to be executed," I countered. "And then it tried to light me on fire. I think it was just a random attack that happened to be really, really well-timed, especially for me."

"I hope you are right," he said. We came around the next bend to see what I assumed to be the gate to Riverwood. My thoughts were all but confirmed when Hadvar picked up his pace. "It's good to be back in Riverwood. It's been years since I was last here," he said as we crossed the threshold into the town.

I nodded quietly as I looked around. It was a very quiet, quaint little village; the only sounds reaching my keen hearing were from the river running through town and the waterwheel it turned. Said waterwheel ran a sawmill, which two people were busily working at while another chopped the logs into more manageable pieces. Not far from the entrance was a glowing red forge, and across from that was what looked like a shop or trading post. I couldn't see any further in, but my observation was cut short anyway by Hadvar hurriedly making his way towards the man working the forge.

"Uncle Alvor!" he called out as he approached.

"Hadvar?" the man looked up quizzically from the metal he was pounding. He was middleaged and had a slight touch of grey in his beard, but a lifetime of smithing had clearly kept him strong and fit. He finished shaping the piece of metal in his hands, dropped it into a basin of water and walked over to greet Hadvar with a hug. "It's good to see you. Did you just get some time off?"

"Not exactly," Hadvar shook his head. "We have a lot to talk about."

Alvor seemed to take note of his sombre tone and gave a nod before turning to me. "And who is this?"

"He's...a friend," my companion answered after a moment. "He helped me out with some trouble recently. His name's Kailev-Tel."

"Call me Kai," I said as I shook Alvor's hand. He had a strong grip, and seemed quite pleased to learn that I did, too.

"Well, any friend of Hadvar's is a friend of mine. Please, come inside. You look like you could use a bite to eat."

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><p>It was starting to darken outside by the time Hadvar and I had finished explaining what had happened in Helgen. "A dragon..." Alvor spoke as though in awe. "I thought they were only a legend."<p>

"Perhaps Hilde wasn't speaking nonsense earlier, after all," his wife Sigrid said. "She mentioned seeing a dragon flying towards Whiterun. We all assumed she was imagining things."

"If only it were so," Hadvar shook his head.

"Still, we've had far too much talk of dragons and war for today," Sigrid suddenly stood up, looking quite determined. "Come on, Dorthe, help me prepare supper for Hadvar and his friend." She turned towards me at the last.

The young girl had sat staring at me nearly since we entered the house, and despite her mother's words she continued to do so. "You've never seen an Argonian before, have you?" I asked her with a slight smile. She shook her head, transfixed by the razor-sharp teeth lining my mouth. "Don't worry, I'm not nearly as mean as I look. Go and help your mother." She finally stood and went along with Sigrid, earning a slight chuckle from her father.

"There aren't many Argonians in Skyrim, it's true. The few that there are mostly live in Riften or Windhelm working the docks," he explained.

"That's usually where we end up," I remarked.

"Which is a shame," Hadvar interjected. "The Argonians I've fought beside have been some of the most competent warriors I've ever met."

"Black Marsh forces us to be tough and skilled," I nodded. "The beasts there aren't known to be particularly friendly. Either we figure out how to evade them or kill them...or we get eaten."

"And if the Stormcloaks have their way there won't be any of you left in Skyrim before too long," the soldier continued. I had to give him credit: he was certainly persistent.

I decided to bait him a little bit. "Which would hardly be in my best interests."

His eyes lit up almost immediately. "So then you'll-"

"I'll think about it," I cut him off. "I'm not making any promises. Truth be told, I'd rather avoid taking any sides in this conflict, if I can. It isn't my problem."

"Unfortunately, lad, it may well turn into your problem," Alvor shook his head as Sigrid and Dorthe returned with our food. "Each day Skyrim is split more and more. Neighbours turning on neighbours...It isn't the way things should be."

"We can speak on this more tomorrow. For now, let's just enjoy our food," his wife shushed him. "Though I must admit, I don't rightly know what it is Argonians eat. I hope this will do."

"We eat the same as anyone else," I assured her as I speared a piece of meat on my plate with a fork. "Except for bread. It gets stuck in our teeth something awful and you wouldn't believe how hard these things are to keep clean as it is."

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><p>I woke up the next morning on a bedroll in their basement, which certainly beat whatever hole I could've dug myself outside. Alvor and Sigrid had assured me that I was welcome to stay for as long as I needed and could help myself to whatever food was around their house. I actually felt a bit guilty at receiving such hospitality when I hadn't done anything to earn it, so I decided that I should work to earn my keep.<p>

I went outside to find Alvor at his forge, as I expected, and offered to help him with whatever I could. "Have you ever done any sort of smithing before?" he asked as he heated and pounded at what was shaping up to be a sword.

"No," I admitted, a little embarrassed. "Though I wouldn't mind learning, if you'd be willing to teach me."

He stopped what he was doing and stared at me seriously for several moments before giving a curt nod and beckoning me over with his head. I was actually somewhat eager as I strode over to join him.

The next couple hours were spent with Alvor teaching me how to work the forge, making it hot enough to make metal workable without being so hot it warped it. I learned the differences in heat for different metals like iron and steel, as far as he could teach me. He readily admitted to simply being a capable blacksmith; he was no master of the craft. If I wanted to learn from a true master, he said, I would have to seek out Eorlund Gray-Mane in Whiterun, a much larger town to the northeast.

By the end, though, he seemed to believe I was well on my way to becoming quite the smith, myself. Aside from helping him with his own orders, I had sharpened and strengthened my blades, toughened my armour and crafted a new helmet for myself that quite happily accommodated the spikes and spines on my head and neck. "Argonian equipment is the most difficult to make," he said as he watched me work. "You have to account for a thicker tail than with Khajiit, not to mention all the spikes and horns you have sticking out of you."

"I guess that puts me at something of an advantage, then," I smirked as I stitched a wool tunic into my leather armour to help protect against the cold. "What should I do with all the extra equipment I made?"

"Take it across the road to the trading post. They'll give you some gold or supplies for it, I'm sure," he answered. I did as he instructed, gathering up my assorted weapons and bits of armour and carrying them across the cobblestones to Riverwood Trader.

I fumbled with the door, trying to balance the load in my arms without dropping any of it. The door suddenly opened to reveal the very pretty face of a young Imperial woman. "Would you like a hand?" she asked with a smile.

"No, no, I'm quite alright," I smiled back as I slipped in past her. "Just thought you might like to buy or trade some equipment."

"Perhaps," the man standing behind the counter sounded apprehensive. "Let's take a look and we'll see what it's worth."

Several minutes later, after a bit of conversation and some sneaky haggling, I was walking out of the shop with about a hundred septims, a leather backpack and some basic supplies and potions. After all, my stay in Riverwood wasn't permanent, and I knew that at some point soon I'd be leaving, though exactly where to remained a mystery to me. The owner of the trade post, Lucan Valerius, had mentioned a nearby town called Whiterun, so that seemed as good a choice as any.

I dropped off my newly acquired goods at Alvor's house, then went out and asked if he needed anymore help with his smithing. "No, but you could go ask Hod, if you're looking for work. He runs the mill, and he's always looking for a good pair of hands," he told me.

I did as he said and wandered over to the lumber mill across the river. Working the saw was an older Nord man who I assumed to be Hod. He dropped a log onto the track and set it running against the saw and turned to me. "So, you must be the Argonian staying at Alvor's house," he said aloud in a thick Skyrim accent.

I made a great show of looking across the village. "Are you sure about that? This place is swarming with them and other races tend to find us hard to tell apart."

He seemed less than amused by my comment and I mentally marked him down as someone with no sense of humour or irony. "Is there something I can help you with?" he quickly cut to the point, reaching to pull down another log to be cut.

"Actually, I was wondering if you could give me any work. Preferably the paying kind," I said.

He motioned to a chopping block at the bottom of the stairs leading to the saw. "I'll pay you for whatever wood you can chop by the time I'm done with these logs."

I gave a nod of acknowledgement before hopping down to the block. An axe was quite handily sitting nearby on a table that I grabbed and hefted to get used to the weight. The pile of wood to be chopped was huge, but hardly insurmountable. After the first chop I decided my leather tunic was only going to get in the way and shucked it off, revealing a torso marked with the pale pocks and lines of many scars, though none were quite so striking as the three raised slashes running down the left side of my face across my eye and cheek.

The early afternoon sun was hot on the dark grey scales of my back as my axe came down on what felt like the hundredth piece of wood. I had lost track of how many I had chopped or how long I had been chopping for and my arms were starting to grow a little tired from the constant swinging of the axe, but I still had wood to cut so I pressed on. If there was one thing I could truly pride myself on it was work ethic; I refused to let a job go half-finished. Still, I had to wonder how many logs Hod possibly had to saw through that it could take so long.

A woman clearing her throat nearby caught my attention and I turned to face the woman from the shop earlier. In her hand was a canteen she had held out to me. "You look like you could use something to drink," she offered with a smile.

I accepted with a returned smile and quickly downed a mouthful of what I happily discovered to be cold water. "Thanks. Argonians have a little trouble with that whole sweating thing you humans do," I remarked after downing half of the water. The rest I poured over my head and back, cooling my overheated scales and making them shine in the sun.

I could swear I caught the young woman staring before she cleared her throat again, almost nervously. "I'm Camilla, by the way," she said as she brushed a stray hair behind her ear. The display of human femininity actually caught me a little off guard.

"Kai," I introduced myself.

"So, Argonians can't sweat?" she asked somewhat lamely as though trying to make conversation. I briefly thought she was trying to flirt with me and suppressed a chuckle at the ridiculous notion.

"Nope. We can breathe underwater, though, and pretty much never get sick, so I think it's a fair trade," I said as I handed back her canteen and resumed chopping.

"I didn't know you couldn't get sick," she suddenly seemed very interested, so I decided to indulge her a little.

"A lot of creatures in Black Marsh carry diseases, so we've just gotten more or less immune to it over time. A lot of creatures try to eat us, too, but so far we haven't picked up an immunity to that," I explained. "Though I suppose we've built up a resistance, if stabbing a giant snake in the face with a knife counts."

I actually heard her laugh quietly at my stupid joke before excusing herself to retrieve me some more water. Considering my introduction to Skyrim, I was actually fairly surprised at the hospitality I had been shown in Riverwood.

Hod came walking down the steps of the saw mill just as I was taking another deep drink of water. "Friend of yours, Camilla?" he sounded almost amused.

"Oh, no. We're having a wild, steamy affair," I deadpanned. "Or do you actually need to be in a relationship to have an affair? I can never remember." Hod looked somewhat bemused and Camilla looked at me nearly aghast. I simply shrugged. "Okay, maybe a little inappropriate, but I thought it was kind of funny."

"He looked like he could use a drink, chopping so much wood," she shook her head at me and turned to Hod.

"You've certainly cut a lot more than I thought you would," the Nord nodded approvingly. "Looks like more than Faendal would chop in a week. Lazy Bosmer."

Camilla sighed and shook her head again. "Bring the canteen back to the shop, once you're done here," she told me before heading off.

I was about to tell her that once Hod had paid me I'd be done when the man cut me off. "If have more paying work for you, if you're interested."

"Depends on the work, I suppose," I said as I took a swig of water.

"I just need some help sawing the logs I just cut into smaller pieces so we can actually do something with them," he explained. I nodded and followed him over to the large pile of half logs at the far end of the mill.

Between the two of us and a long bow saw we made short work of the pile of wood, though I could tell by my tired muscles that I'd probably be sore later. Hod handed me a fairly heavy coin purse once we were done with another of his approving smiles. "There you go. Honest pay for honest work."

I thanked him for the coin, retrieved my armour and started my way back to the Riverwood Trader to return Camilla's canteen. On the way I was stopped by a young Nord man whose only real defining feature was blonde hair he had clearly spent too much time working on. "Hey, you're the Argonian looking for work around town, right?"

"Word certainly travels fast around here," I raised an eyebrow at him. "Something I can help you with?"

"Yes. Camilla Valerius knows I'm the best man in Riverwood," I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. It was obvious where this was going. "Faendal is kidding himself into thinking any differently, but he's been spending a lot of time at the Riverwood Trader when I'm not around."

I had to wonder what possessed him to come to a complete stranger for help with his girl problems. "Well that just sounds awful. Two people in a small town spending time together, possibly becoming friends. How horrible," I remarked dryly. "Or are you just concerned that maybe someone is trying to steal her away from you?"

"That's exactly what he's trying to do," he seemed rather ignorant of the sarcasm dripping from my voice. "But I have a plan to stop that little idea of his. Take this letter and deliver it to her, saying it's from Faendal," he said as he passed me a slip of paper. "Do this for me and I'll make sure you're rewarded. I make enough money as a bard at The Sleeping Giant to spare a few coins for this."

He walked away with an air of arrogance I couldn't help but feel would be better off doused in the river. I looked over the note and almost snorted at the ridiculousness of it. I decided that I should probably hear Faendal's side of this story, too, and set out to look for him.

Finding a Wood Elf in a Nord village turned out to be as simple a task as it seemed. "Excuse me, but are you Faendal?" I asked as I approached, despite knowing the answer.

"Yes," he answered cautiously. "Is there something you need from me, stranger?"

"Oh, not really. I just wanted to see who Sven was causing so much fuss about," I remarked in an offhanded tone.

"What's that blowhard been saying about me?" Faendal was instantly defensive, just as I'd assumed he would be.

"Just that he had some plan to make sure you and Camilla didn't get too close," I said. I didn't want to reveal the false letter unless I truly had to.

"Hm. Divines only know what that fool is thinking," the elf said dismissively. "Still...just in case, if you wouldn't mind I'd like you to deliver this letter to Camilla and say it's from him. It should put a stop to any plan Sven thinks he's figured out."

I took the note wordlessly with a nod and left towards the shop. I was actually somewhat disappointed that both men turned out to be the same. It just went to show that being a jackass knows no race. I also thought that maybe it would teach the both of them not to let people they had never met handle their personal issues.

When I arrived at the Riverwood Trader I found Camilla and Lucan arguing about something. In their excitement they didn't notice me standing at the entrance and I took the opportunity to listen in.

"For the last time, you're not going! It's too dangerous!" Lucan was all but shouting at his sister.

"Someone needs to go after them! We can't just let them get away with stealing that claw," she shot right back.

It was then that Lucan noticed me standing nearby and quickly hushed Camilla. "We can discuss this later, when there aren't customers around."

I looked between them for a moment before sighing. "I'm probably going to regret this, but...is something the matter?"

* * *

><p>AN: This chapter is random as fuck and all over the place, but I swear that's not what every one is going to be like. I just had a lot of ideas for how I wanted the initial stay in Riverwood to be and this kind of ended as a mash-up of all of them. Clearly there's a bit of a story arc to be followed for a couple more chapters, but after that I'd be happy to do this in true Elder Scrolls fashion and follow whatever questline someone requests. If you want to see Kai do any particular quest (or series of quests), just leave a review and I'll try to work it in to be believable with the overall story flow. Considering the sheer scope of the game, there's definitely potential to craft a rather epic (at least as far as length goes) story out of it. With gratuitous violence, sex and sarcasm along the way.


	3. Chapter 3

"There. Now you don't need to go to Bleak Falls Barrow and get yourself killed," Lucan said smugly to his sister after I agreed to help them. Someone had stolen a family heirloom of theirs and they wanted me to retrieve it in exchange for what sounded like a pretty sum of gold. It sounded like a simple enough task, so I quite happily accepted.

"He still needs a guide to the Barrow," Camilla said, motioning to me before grabbing a coat.

"You're only going as far as the edge of town!" I heard Lucan shout after us as I was practically dragged out of the shop.

"I'll go as far as I like," I heard her nearly growl. "Just because he's my brother, he thinks he can control my life."

"Not to sound demanding, but is it alright if I stop at Alvor's house and uh...grab my weapons and supplies?" I asked, a little afraid of becoming an undeserving target of her wrath.

She stopped and looked at me as though I was being ridiculous. "Of course you can. You don't have to sound so timid."

"If you say so," I muttered below my breath as I whipped to the house and back with my swords, backpack and the rest of my armour.

"Well, don't you look the part of a strapping adventurer," Camilla smiled at me as I returned.

"Thanks," I smiled back, though in truth I was somewhat uncomfortable with the comment. It was odd having a human complimenting my appearance. We started walking when I remembered the pair of notes hidden in a pocket of my armour. I pulled them out and handed one to Camilla. "By the way, Sven wanted me to deliver that to you. He also wanted me to tell you it was from Faendal."

She quickly read over the note and a sour look came upon her pretty face. "That jealous oaf. Thank you for telling me the truth of the matter. I'm sure Faendal would like to thank you for defending his honour, as well."

"Don't go singing that elf's praises too quickly," I pulled out the other note and handed it to her. "He wanted me to give that one to you and tell you it was from Sven. It turns out you have a couple of jackasses looking for your affections. You have my sympathy."

"Those little rats," Camilla bit out, her voice disbelieving.

"They couldn't even be bothered to come up with different plans," I chuckled wryly. "Is this how courtship works in Skyrim? It doesn't seem like a very good way to do things."

Camilla sighed aloud and shook her head before slipping the notes into a pocket of her coat. "Thank you for telling me the truth about it."

"It was no problem. A pretty thing like you shouldn't be wasting her time with a couple of jackasses who can't even be bothered to come up with an original way to stab each other in the back," I shrugged.

I saw her smile out of the corner of my eye. The rest of the walk to the foot of the mountain was in relative silence occasionally punctuated by directions from my guide. We were soon at the path leading up to Bleak Falls Barrow, though, and despite her obvious wish to show her independence to her brother I didn't let her come any further with me. "Trust me, I'll be fine. I've faced worse than a few bandits, in my time."

"Watch out for draugr and frostbite spiders in the Barrow," she warned anyway.

"What's a draugr?" I asked, halting my feet from turning me away.

"They're ancient Nord warriors that haunt their crypts," the way she worded it made it sound like something out of a story. I figured that was likely not far from the truth. I nodded, but she stopped me as I made to leave. I was about to ask what it was she needed when her lips pressed against mine in a kiss. I stood still, not entirely sure how to react. It wasn't as though my lips were particularly designed to return the action. She moved back and gave me another smile. "When you get back...come and find me after you deliver the claw to my brother. I'll have to thank you properly."

"...Okay..." I said flatly. I heard her chuckle at me as she turned and walked away. I looked up the path to the mountain, noticing it was just starting to snow partway up. "Well. This should be all kinds of fun."

Just a little ways up the path was what looked like an old derelict watchtower. As I approached, a group of three humans, two men and a woman, walked down towards me. They had the obvious look of bandits, sporting random bits and pieces of armour stitched and sewn together into something functional and cheap, low quality weapons that likely only really worked for intimidating untrained travellers. "Well, look what we have here. You sure did pick a bad time to get lost, friend. We just happened to be running low on gold, and then you happen by," the lead man spoke in a smug tone.

"Sorry for your misfortune, but I'm fresh out of money myself," I said calmly. I studied the three quickly. Both the female and the second man had thought to draw their weapons, the former holding a mace in one hand and a shield in the other while the latter had a battleaxe resting against his shoulder. The man in front had a shield on his arm, but his sword was still sheathed.

"Just kill him so we can loot the corpse," the woman said impatiently.

I acted quickly, drawing my sword with my left hand in a flash to impale the lead man through the stomach. His hand never even touched the hilt of his sword before he hit the snow and stained it a dark red. I spun as I let his body fall, drawing my other sword and swinging both at the woman. She blocked it with her shield, though the force of the blow sent her tumbling backwards.

Before I could finish her, though, I was forced to dodge a long sweep from the other man's battleaxe. I was a split second too slow, and hissed against the feeling of warm blood trickling over my armour through the gash in my side. It wasn't deep, but it certainly reinforced the idea that I needed to finish this fight quickly. I pressed the attack, forcing him to block with the haft of his weapon until he let it drop too low. My blade flicked up and slid into the bottom of his jaw to break through his forehead. I pulled my sword back, utterly destroying any face he had and let his body hit the rock and snow.

I was knocked to the ground by a hard strike in the ribs from the woman's mace as I turned to face her. My side lit up with pain, handily informing me of what were likely broken ribs. My sword left my hand and hit the snow somewhere beyond my reach. I rolled over and parried what would likely have been a killing blow from the bandit's weapon, opening her to a shower of electric sparks from my other hand.

She screamed as she fell, allowing me to stand up and sheath my sword while I continued to unleash my lightning into her. A twin stream lit up from my now free palm. Her body convulsed for several moments until her screaming stopped, and with it my blasts of lightning magic. The metal rivets in her armour glowed red hot and I was almost certain the leather was going to light on fire.

I found my fallen blade in the snow and made my way to the relative shelter of the tower, my hand clutching my side in a futile effort to quell the pain. The bleeding had stopped, at least, but my ribs were going to be an issue if I didn't deal with them immediately. I focused on what little training in magic I had, conjuring a warm and gentle light to my hand. Using restoration magic so immediately after destruction was awkward and a challenge, but I managed and pressed the glowing light against my ribs through my armour. I felt my bones knit back together and the cut in my side seal up. Healing with magic even had the handy side effect of not leaving any scars.

After finding and grabbing the paltry sum of coin the bandits had managed to acquire I continued my way up the mountain. The snowfall turned into a veritable blizzard as I got closer to the peak, something my scales had great difficulty resisting. I was used to the warmer climates of Cyrodiil and Black Marsh. The bitter cold of Skyrim was something I knew would take some getting used to.

I was nearing a set of stone steps when an arrow whizzed by my shoulder, prompting me to duck for a moment before taking off at a dead sprint to the nearest pillar. Apparently this bunch didn't even have the decency to threaten me before they tried to kill me.

I poked my head out only to instantly pull it back to avoid the warhammer that cracked the stone beneath it when it missed. As proud as I was with my helmet, there was no way it was stopping a chunk of iron bigger than my head. The orc at the other end of it was a brute, swinging the obviously heavy weapon around with one hand at a time at the end of his sweeps.

There was no way I could get in close with my swords, and just as I was about to unleash a flame spell an arrow finally found its mark in my shoulder. My armour kept more than the tip from finding its home in my flesh, but even that was enough to make me grunt in pain and lose my concentration. I dodged back again, pulling the arrow out and throwing it at the face of my attacker in desperation.

It seemed the Divines were smiling on me at that moment, because by some miracle the stupid tactic actually worked. The arrow flipped around just perfectly to pierce the orc's eye, causing him to howl in pain and instinctively turn partly away. I took the opportunity to draw my swords and run both of them through his stomach, lifting him into the air with a strength I didn't know I had. I threw him into the ground and turned to the archer, who by now looked like he had pissed himself in fear. It likely didn't help matters when he let loose another arrow that I, by some immense fluke, deflected with a casual wave of my sword.

"Please, have mercy!" he screamed as he turned and ran up the steps. I sheathed my blades and took chase, easily overtaking him despite my armour.

I tackled him to the ground, scrambling to pin the hand reaching for his dagger and drawing my own. His screams were cut short by my knife plunging into the side of his neck. Not one to take chances, I slide it out the front, spilling a surprising amount of blood onto the pristine white snow and dark grey stone.

I stood and returned my dagger to its place at my thigh and walked up to the great iron doors of the Barrow. "What's the point of doors this big?" I looked up to their top, several feet above my head. "There's no advantage to it. All it does is make them a bitch to open," I continued to grouse as I pushed my weight against one of the doors.

"That's better," I muttered, glad to be out of the harsh wind and snow. I instantly went quiet when I heard voices talking at the far end of the hall I had entered into. I crouched low to the ground, moving up as quietly as I could to overhear their conversation.

I only caught bits and pieces, but enough to know that they were talking about an elf - presumably their leader - who had gone further into the crypts with something. They were waiting for him to return, something a female in the group professed to seeming less and less likely. Their voices suddenly stopped as a rock shifted under my foot.

"Is someone there?" I heard one of them draw a blade and the footsteps of both as they walked nearer.

"...No," I called back before unsheathing a sword and dashing out from behind the cover. My strategy worked, catching them off-guard long enough for my sword to find the man's neck. Blood spurted onto me, the woman and the ground as the man's head went flying. This proved to be an adequate distracting for me to spear the woman through the chest with my sword and push her to the ground. I gave the sword a twist, just to be sure, before I pulled it out and wiped it clean on her ragged clothes. "I should really just not sheathe these things," I shook my head, sighed, and drew my other blade.

I found some gold and a couple lockpicks on their corpses, which proved quite handy for the locked chest nearby. The lock was simple and unlatched without much complaint or even a broken pick, and inside was a much better haul of gold and supplies than I had found outside.

I finally took a good look around, noticing for the first time a couple of corpses from other bandits, as well as the corpses of several skeevers. The little beasts were very much like the giant rats I was familiar with from Black Marsh and Cyrodiil, and according to Hadvar were just as filthy and disease ridden.

As I made my way further into the barrow I had to push my way through several huge, thick spider webs that could only belong to frostbites. I frowned, or at least gave the Argonian impression of a frown. They were foul creatures I would have been very happy to not deal with, but evidently the only luck I was to have for the day was with the arrow outside. And with the woman apparently waiting for me back at Riverwood.

The thought occupied my mind while I made my way deeper into the barrow. Was she serious, or just joking? If she was serious, why? I was an Argonian. I was under the impression that most other races found us significantly less than attractive. Even with Khajiit there was apparently some sort of cuteness factor, since some looked like big house cats. With Argonians, though, we just looked like giant lizards. I conveniently ignored the fact that the lack of attraction should likely go both ways, but growing up in Black Marsh surrounded by others of my kind made humans and elves seem somehow exotic. That and I had always wondered what their smooth skin must feel like.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by coming upon a man who was trying to solve a puzzle to open the way further. He was so engrossed in what he was doing that he didn't notice me until I walked up and slit his throat with a flick of my sword. He was unarmed, but that just made me think that perhaps he was a mage or something. I wasn't going to take the chance.

I looked at the block on the ground he had been studying, which featured a depiction of a snake that matched several rotating stone blocks at the side of the room. I also noticed two more fixed murals above the archway of the door, with a broken one in the centre that clearly used to be the one on the ground.

"You, sir, were an idiot," I nudged Slit-Throat with my foot before quickly arranging the rotating blocks to match the fixed ones. A flip of the lever before the gate opened it and revealed the way further in.

A quick perusal of the next room rewarded me with some soul gems I currently had little use for, considering I lacked the magical talent to fill them, and a book simply entitled "Thief" that I slid into my pack for later reading. I had always enjoyed reading, and a cursory glance suggested that this one might have some interesting insights on pickpocketing.

Further in I ran into some live skeevers, something that was almost unexpected considering how many dead ones I had come across. I killed one with a quick stab of my sword, stepped on another to break its neck and when the last jumped and latched onto my gauntlet-covered arm, I just smashed it into the wall to kill it. The fact that anyone could be killed by the things astounded me.

"Is someone there?" I heard called out again for the second time that day, followed by a series of names I assumed were the bandits I had just killed.

"Hold on," I called back, cutting through a particularly thick section of webbing. I instantly regretted the decision when a massive frostbite spider dropped from the ceiling. "Well now, you are certainly a big one," my calm tone belied the panic I was quickly trying to get a hold of.

It spat forth a glob of poison that I hopped to the side to avoid. When it came running at me, I did the exact opposite and backed through the small hole I had just cut in its web. The gap was too small for it to squeeze through, leading it to claw at it uselessly. "Not too smart, though," I laughed and shot a jet of flame into its face. It learned about that fast enough, though, and moved out of range before spitting poison at me again.

We were at a standstill until I finally took a deep breath to steel my nerves and attacked it head on. It rose up onto four legs and tried to leap on top of me, but I succeeded in avoiding the attack with an agile strafe and hacked one of its legs clean off. It didn't seem to appreciate that, though, and smacked me to the side with one of its remaining limbs. If it weren't for the life-or-death nature of the situation I may have even been impressed by the strength in its legs. As it was, though, I quickly tried to scramble back to my feet.

I wasn't fast enough, though, and soon found myself with my hands on its fangs, trying desperately to keep it from sinking them into my stomach. The struggle forced me to slide along the floor on my back until I hit a wall, where I could get my feet planted and push myself back until I was standing. The spider moved back the barest inch, but it was enough to give me time to draw my dagger and ram it into its many eyes. It let out an unearthly scream, stumbling back a few steps in agony and giving me another opportunity to attack with a combined blast of flame from both my palms. Within seconds the thing was burnt to a crisp.

"Good! Now cut me down, for Arkay's sake!" the bandit knotted in the spiders webbing yelled at me while I retrieved my swords.

"I have half a mind to leave you up there, you ungrateful shit," I barked at him, rubbing at a sore spot in my ribs where the spider's fangs had nearly broken through my armour. "But I think you have something I want."

"The golden claw, right? Cut me down and you can have it. It's brought me nothing but trouble since I swiped it from that shopkeeper," his voice had a pleading tone to it.

"Fine, fine," I drew my dagger and begrudgingly cut him free, though I got slightly tangled in webs in the process.

He did as I had partly expected him to and took off at a sprint down the hallway. "Sucker! Why would I share the treasure with anyone?"

"You son of a bitch!" I yelled as I gave chase, pulling the webs off as I ran. After almost a minute of chasing him he suddenly stopped. I didn't. I slammed into him, driving the dagger in my hand into his back when we hit the ground. A pained scream was cut off by the sharp blade sliding across his throat. "Serves you right," I growled as I stood.

Another growl, far more guttural than mine, caused me to look up and see the body standing up from its place in a nearby stone grave. "Oh. You must be a draugr," I stared at the thing before replacing my dagger with my swords.

It shuffled at me with surprising quickness, though that didn't stop me from catching its sword against one of mine and hacking out its legs with my other. When it fell I slashed across its neck, beheading it and effectively killing it again. I didn't know if there was any other way of permanently killing them and I wasn't willing to experiment and find out. "You weren't so tough," I smirked before looking down the hall and finding two more very quickly advancing on me. "And of course I had to go and talk."

I ducked under the swing of one's greatsword and buried my own blade into its ribs, or what was left of them. Unfortunately that just made my blade catch in its bones without slowing it down much. I had to let go of and abandon my sword when the other one attacked me with its. I let loose a jet of flame, igniting its dry, decaying flesh and setting it ablaze. As it burned away it fell to pieces, giving me another way of effectively dealing with these creatures.

I dodged another swing of the remaining draugr's greatsword, hacked off its arm and then its head. "That could have gone worse," I happily quipped and made my way down the hall. I was suddenly very interested in seeing exactly what the treasure the bandit had been talking about was. My blissful ignorance ended up costing me, however, when I stepped on a pressure plate on the floor and a spiked wooden wall slammed into my chest.

I landed on my back with a pained grunt, the sound of the trap resetting reaching my hearing. I sat up with a similarly pained gasp, pushing myself back against a wall and looking down at my blood-covered torso. "Oh, that's not good," I groaned and hastily summoned forth my healing spell.

It wasn't the most effective, though, and it took nearly all my energy to repair the wounds just so that they weren't still bleeding. I would have to wait for them to heal naturally, after this, because it was obvious to me that I had all but spent any magical energy I may have had left. I was hardly an accomplished mage, and while the constant use of spells over the day had been good practice it had also left me mentally drained in a way that only overuse of magic did.

I resumed my trip, this time making sure to walk _around_ the spike-trap pressure plate. I immediately encountered a draugr that proved much, much tougher than the ones I had fought before, and I was hard-pressed to eventually kill it after having hacked off both arms and one of its legs. I kept making my way deeper into the barrow, fighting through more and more draugr. Even unwilling to use my magic, they started to become easier to handle, once I figured out their patterns and that I could kill them before they were finished waking up, if I was fast enough.

I eventually came to an underground river, leaving me to wonder just how big this place could possibly be. Still, the sound of running water was calming to my Argonian heart. The river itself was quite clear of enemies, though the same could not be said of the waterfall it ran to. About halfway down was a ledge with a draugr, and I instantly regretted not grabbing a bow from one of the bandits earlier.

I made my way down a nearby path that conveniently led to said ledge. The draugr was facing the other way, and I decided to at least attempt to sneak up on it. I was pleasantly surprised when it didn't notice my stealthy approach, at least until I had hacked its head from its shoulders.

The path led me to a room with another of the decidedly tougher draugr, though this time I had an easier time avoiding the wide, sweeping slashes of its greatsword until I could get in close and cut it to pieces with fast, precise strikes.

The once again grossly oversized doors at the end of the room led to more stone hallways, a swinging blade trap, and more draugr. I was beginning to think the whole treasure idea behind this was a big load when I came to a door made up of concentric stone rings and a circle at the centre with three holes. I pulled the golden claw out of my pack and promptly realized that it fit into the holes. However, when I first tried that and attempted to turn it, nothing happened.

"Of course it wouldn't be that easy," I sighed as I looked over the symbols on the door. My eyes snapped open wide and went back to the claw, finding a similar set of symbols on the bottom of it. "Huh. Well, I'll be damned," I chuckled as I set the door to match the claw and tried again. This time, after a great deal of superfluous spinning on the door's part, it lowered into the ground and opened the way to a set of stairs that led to a great, open hall.

What sounded like chanting reached my hearing as I started to walk up another set of stairs that led to a huge, carved wall. Without really understanding why, I was drawn to the wall like a moth to a flame. I was transfixed by the sound of the chanting, and when I drew closer I saw that the wall was carve with dozens of runes. The only ones I really noticed, though, were the ones in the dead centre that were glowing.

"Fus..." I spoke a language not my own as my hand drew over the glowing runes. They flashed blindingly bright for a moment and I felt a power unlike any other rush into me. It wasn't power, I quickly realized, but knowledge. Knowledge that I had no idea how to use.

Any pondering on the matter was cut short by the sound of stone cracking behind me. I spun around to see a large, armoured draugr crawl out of a previously sealed tomb. "How many of you are there?" I sighed before swinging my sword at it in a wide arc.

I'm sure my face was priceless as the draugr simply extended its hand and caught my blade. "That's...definitely not good," I muttered before frantically pulling my sword from its grasp. It drew its own greatsword from its back and let out what could only be described as a shout. The force of the blast from its words, though, was enough to send me stumbling back several steps.

It came charging at me with a vengeance, swinging its greatsword from over its head with shocking speed. I barely moved to the side in time, though not fast enough to save the tip of my tail. I hissed in pain at the loss, internally thankful that it would grow back in a scant couple hours.

It continued its vicious assault, forcing me to either back up or get cleaved in two. I tried to parry and create an opening to counter with my blades, but all that ended up doing was shattering one of my swords when it went flying from my hand and struck a rock at what was apparently an awkward angle.

Luckily, it eventually struck with a sweep, allowing me to duck underneath it and crash my shoulder into the draugr's body with enough force to send us both tumbling to the ground. I landed on top and hurriedly sat up on my knees where I could hack at its head with my sword until it was nothing but a shredded mess of dust, meat and bone.

"And stay dead this time!" I shouted at the corpse before standing up, sheathing my remaining sword and taking a much needed deep breath. It was then that I noticed a large stone tablet sticking out of the draugr's tomb. "What's this now?" I asked no one at all as I lifted it out.

On one side were several lines of the same runes decorating the wall behind me, while on the other was something dotted with what looked like stars. "Hey, wait a second," I mumbled and pulled out my map of Skyrim. The general shape of the landscape on the stone tablet made it clear that it was a crude map of the province, though that still left me with no clue as to what the star shapes were. I decided to add the tablet to my pack, figuring that if I was lucky I'd meet someone in Whiterun who could shed some light on what the thing was. I hoped that I'd meet them sooner rather than later, though. The damn thing was heavy.

* * *

><p>The trip back to Riverwood was uneventful, though at least it took long enough that by the time I returned my tail had regrown. I was forever thankful for how quickly Argonians healed. Even the wounds from my encounter with the spike-trap had long since scabbed over. They'd likely be a new set of pale scars adorning my chest in a couple days.<p>

It was just nearing sunset by the time I returned, sore and hungry but feeling a strange sense of satisfaction. I initially thought that perhaps it was from the money I had gained from raiding the bandits, but soon realized that it was from whatever knowledge I had gained from the mysterious glowing wall. I simply added that to the "to-do" list for Whiterun and put it to the back of my mind.

I dropped off my pack, weapons and excess armour at Alvor's house, apparently arriving just in time to enjoy a quick supper of some roast beef and and an apple before heading back out with the golden claw in hand and dressed only in my leather tunic, pants and boots.

"You're back!" Lucan sounded surprised as I walked into his shop.

"Don't sound so shocked or I might start thinking you weren't expecting me to be," I rose a spiky brow at him and put the claw on the counter before him.

"The claw! I can't thank you enough for bringing it back to us," he grinned happily.

"You're welcome. The asshole who took it tried to run when I freed him from a spiderweb and ended up getting me dragged into a search for treasure that turned into a bust."

"Treasure?" Lucan sounded far too interested.

"Like I said, it was a bust. I already stripped that barrow clean. Not much there but dusty bones and really old weapons," I shrugged.

"Such a shame," the man said as he handed me a coin purse that felt delightfully heavy. "There, that should make you feel better. Oh, and Camilla said she wanted to repay you for helping us, too."

"How kind of her," I hoped my smile was convincing. "And where might she be?"

"She's upstairs," he motioned to the stairs as he walked to the door. "Tell her to lock up once you leave." Before I could ask where he was going he was gone.

I made my way up the stairs to find Camilla sitting at a table, quietly eating some bread, drinking water and reading a book. She looked up when I kicked off my boots and smiled when she saw me, though it quickly turned into a frown when she saw the state of my armour, ventilated as it was. "You're hurt," she stated, getting up and walking over to inspect my torso. I suddenly saw that she was dressed in a simple slip-on nightgown, and unless it was a trick of the nearby candlelight, nothing else.

"It's nothing I won't heal from in a couple days," I brushed away her hands. "You'd be amazed how hardy Argonians really are."

She studied me for a moment before nodding and beckoning me to follow her. I did and she led me to stand with her by the bed before spinning around and pressing another kiss to my lips, though because of the height I had on her she was forced to stand on her toes and pull me slightly down.

I pulled back after a moment and gave a somewhat sheepish smile. "Considering that my lips don't really work for kissing...you're sure you don't want something a little, I don't know, closer to home?" I had to ask. It just seemed bizarre for a human to be attracted to a so-called "lesser species" like myself.

"I could ask you the same thing," she said with a sly smile as her hands worked to undo the straps holding my armour in place.

"That's a fair point," I conceded, but still placed my hands over hers to halt their progress. "Though that still doesn't solve the whole kissing problem."

"Of course you can kiss," she sounded as though I was being foolish. "You just have to learn how. And there's no better way of doing that than practice." With that apparently settled, her lips were pressed to mine again. This time, though, I attempted to mimic her actions as best I could, working the front part of my mouth against hers.

It was a strange feeling, to say the least, but not at all unpleasant. Her lips were incredibly soft, at least in comparison to my own, and it was an easy feeling to get lost in. I got so lost in it, in fact, that I didn't even notice when my armour had been undone until she pulled away just long enough to lift the shoulder over my head and drop it on the ground beside us.

Her hands slid across my scales inquisitively, running along natural paths of the ridges of my muscles and the faded lines of old scars. "I've never seen an Argonian with black scales before," she said as her hands continued their exploration. I found it somewhat ironic that she said that as she touched the smoother scales of my chest and stomach that were actually a very flat grey.

"Most are just dark grey," I said as though that made a difference. Not many of my kind had scales as dark or monochrome as mine. The only parts of me not near-black or slate grey were the few crimson strips that curved along some of the bones of my face. After that she set to work on my pants, her movements becoming shaky and heated as he desperately pressed her mouth to mine.

I wasn't doing much better, sliding my hands wantonly over her barely-clothed body. She pulled back once again, though this time I found my mouth chasing hers. I was just getting the hang of this kissing thing - something Argonians never did with each other - and I hardly wanted it to stop. "Why are your pants so hard to get off?" she muttered against my lips, though I could hear humour in her voice.

"They're designed that way," I forced myself to pull back to stare at her incredulously. "I don't want my pants falling down in the middle of a fight. Imagine how ridiculous I'd look tripping over my own pants while fighting a bear. I'd die of embarrassment before it ever got the chance to kill me."

"You don't take anything seriously, do you?" she asked with a quiet laugh.

"Not much. It gets too depressing," I laughed right back. "Though speaking of serious things, what's to stop your brother from showing up in the middle of...this...and killing me in a fit of over-protective rage?"

"He'll be gone for the night. He does that sometimes," she explained as she finally got the last of the straps and buckles on my pants undone. "Finally!" she sounded far too happy as she pushed them down off my hips to reveal, well, _me_. The presence of a tail pretty much eliminated any choice I may have had when it came to wearing undergarments.

I had to suppress a hiss as a curious hand slid along my half-hardened member. "Argonians aren't built so differently from humans," I tried to sound lighthearted, though inside I was slightly nervous. This was the deciding moment for whether she found my difference interesting or disgusting.

"No, you're not," she sounded pleasantly surprised as I continued to thicken and grow in her hands. "Though the scales certainly feel...different."

"Those ones aren't even very rough," I said and hissed quietly again in restrained pleasure. I decided to put a stop to this before I lost whatever self-control I was still foolishly clinging on to and pushed her hands away. "Don't go getting too far ahead of yourself," I inwardly sighed with the relief and disappointment having her hands off me brought. I hooked a clawed finger into each of the shoulder straps of her nightgown. "Lift your arms," I commanded gently. She did as I instructed, though I also noticed a fierce blush lighting up her cheeks and she suddenly couldn't look me in the face anymore.

I pulled the nightgown off over her head, dropping it to the ground next to my armour and hissing quietly at the sight of her naked body. It was fairly similar in build to a female Argonian's, though in place of scales it was covered in smooth skin. The most intriguing thing to me, though, was the dark patch of trimmed hair at the apex of her thighs. That was something no Argonian had, and I instantly knew it, just like the cold of Skyrim, would take some getting used to.

"Having second thoughts?" she asked quietly, trying to sound joking but ultimately coming across as insecure. I could tell she was trying very hard not to cover herself with her hands.

"No," I answered honestly. "Just...not what I'm used to."

"So it's not your first time?"

"It is with a human...You?"

"With an Argonian."

"Well, at least we'll stumble along blindly together, I guess," I chuckled.

The awkwardness temporarily forgotten, she pulled me down and kissed me again, though this time it was filled with a smouldering passion instead of the heated lust of earlier. Our lips worked against each other's with hard, firm movements, while our hands roved across unfamiliar flesh. Her skin felt impossibly smooth under the toughened scales of my hands and against the slightly softer ones of my chest and stomach. Hard muscles fluttered under her touch as she brushed over sensitive or ticklish spots.

As my mouth found her neck Camilla finally came back to the piece of my anatomy she seemed most interested in, though this time it was to give it a few gentle strokes. I forced my breathing to stay even. "So...is this...big for an Argonian?" she asked timidly.

"That's a dangerous, dangerous question," I chuckled again. "Let's just say it's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Hm..." she all but purred. "Well, it's pretty big for a human," she seemed to make an instant transition to "vixen" with a hard squeeze that nearly knocked the wind out of me. Her hands were far, far too soft, I decided.

My own hands soon found their way to her breasts. They were also a great deal softer than their Argonian equivalent, and felt absolutely amazing in my palms as I kneaded and squeezed them. A quiet moan reached my hearing, followed by a slightly louder one when my palm dragged across her nipple. Fixated on that sound, I soon focused all of my attention on her hardened nipples and dark aureola surrounding them.

Before I knew it my lips and tongue had left her neck and were attacking her swollen and clearly sensitive nipples. The taste of her skin was faint and mild but deliciously salty from sweat. Loud, breathy moans soon filled the air, her hands leaving my now very hard erection and lacing her fingers through the spikes adorning my head. She held me tightly to her chest as my tongue and teeth continued their work, though curiosity drew my hand down to invade the patch of curled hairs at her groin.

She instantly tightened up as my fingers slid along her slick skin, finding a strangely hard nub I knew no Argonian woman had. When I pressed my fingertip against it I thought she was going to snap off one of my horns at the root. "Did...that hurt?" I asked uncertainly.

"No, don't stop, please," she breathed out in a moaning beg. I pressed my finger against the spot again, this time rubbing a small circle around it as well. This got a very positive response, prompting me to continue doing it. Before long my hand was furiously rubbing at her, becoming so slick with her juices that I was slipping more often than actually maintaining a pattern, though I made sure to be mindful of my claws. I had to wonder if all humans were this...wet.

I brought my hand up to my face, inciting a quiet but pleading and disappointed moan from the woman beneath me. My tongue slid along my fingers tentatively, and my curiosity was rewarded with the discovery of a delicious flavour. I looked at Camilla for only a moment before I was down her body.

"What are-" she was cut off by a high pitched squeal from her own throat as my tongue eagerly forced its way into her. I wondered if perhaps she found this to be an advantage of an Argonian bedfellow, since my tongue was long enough to penetrate her far deeper than any human or elf ever could. The appendage worked its way around inside of her, trying urgently to find the source of her delectable wetness. Her hands had once again found their way to my horns and felt like they were once again trying to tear them out, though at least this time I knew it was from an otherwise inexpressible pleasure than from agonizing pain.

My tongue eventually curved upward and found a spot inside of her that felt slightly different from the rest, and when I pushed against it a fresh scream tore from Camilla's throat. This was followed by more and more screams, though, and her vagina tightened almost painfully around my tongue. Still, I took it as a good sign, and continued to stroke against the new-found spot of apparent pleasure until I thought her throat would go hoarse.

I pulled my worked and tired tongue from her and sat up on my knees, savouring the myriad of tastes dancing around my mouth that only belonged to her. "I take it I'm not doing too badly thus far?" I smirked down at her.

"A lot better than anyone else who's ever tried," she said between pants.

I looked down at her naked, glistening body as she took in heaving post-orgasmic breaths. "...You're sure about this?" I had to ask one last time.

"You wouldn't be here if I wasn't," she answered. I nodded, pulled her hips closer to mine and slowly guided myself into her.

The feeling was unreal. She was impossibly slick and soft and smooth. A harsh, heady moan fell from her lips as I pushed deeper and deeper into her canal. I pulled out until I was barely inside, then pushed back in in a slow, steady motion. I kept my movement slow and controlled as she acclimated to the size and feel of my penis. I knew it had to be significantly different from anything she may have been used to. True, the scales covering that part of me were a lot softer and closer to skin than what covered the rest of my body, but it still had to be something foreign.

"Faster," she breathed out. I happily obliged, releasing a bit of my control at a time. She continued urging me to move faster and harder until I was all but pounding into her and she had stopped speaking anything coherent for the sake of moaning and nearly screaming.

One hand kept me suspended above her while the other gripped harshly at her breast, relishing the feel of the pliable flesh. My teeth and tongue nipped and licked at her exposed neck, leaving marks that would no doubt be there for at least a day or two.

Seconds bled into minutes that became impossible to track as we carried on. It felt like hours but could have been only a minute later for all I knew when her vagina clamped down on me again, though this time the feeling was far more extreme. It was enough to pull me over the edge with her and I let out a harsh hiss as I emptied myself into her.

I pulled out, no doubt making a mess of her bed as I did, and rolled to fall to the covers next to her. Neither of us said a word for a while, our greed for oxygen too much as we sucked in air like we had been drowning. I recovered first, propping myself up on an elbow and directing an exhausted smirk at Camilla. "So, was an Argonian everything you hoped it would be?"

"Almost," she said with a teasing tone. "You weren't too disappointed by a human?"

"Satisfactory," I replied with a dismissive air. We both laughed quietly before I laid back down next to her.

She rolled to face me and traced one of the red lines with her finger, following it from the base of a horn down to the tip of my nose. "When are you leaving?" she asked.

"Probably in a couple days," I shrugged. "I'll be heading to Whiterun to find out about a few things and Alvor wanted me to ask the Jarl to send some soldiers in case a dragon raids this place."

"Will you be coming back?"

"Oh, I'm sure some day I'll come back and visit," I laughed. "It isn't often I find a pretty girl who's actually willing to put up with me."

* * *

><p>AN: I can't help but feel this kinda...drags with too much detail. If that's how it feels, let me know and I'll cut away the excess shit. If it's fine, cool. And I hope I lived up to anyone's expectations of what the sex should be like. I've clearly taken liberties with reptilian biology, but considering female Argonians have breasts in the games I feel I'm allowed. This was spat out quickly for the sake of the fact that for the next little while college is going to be making me its bitch. You'd be amazed how much work a chef student actually has in the last couple weeks of a semester.


	4. Chapter 4

"You!" a somewhat familiar voice shouted behind me as the axe in my hands split another piece of wood. I turned to see Faendal in a near rage, storming towards me with a fire in his eyes I'd have probably found intimidating if it weren't for the fact that I was holding a wood axe or if I wasn't a solid thirty pounds heavier than him and a whole head taller.

I set the axehead against the ground and leaned on the top of the haft, giving the man a bored look. "Me," I answered back. I had already guessed what this was about, but at least it would prove entertaining to see him try and argue that the truth was wrong.

"You told Camilla the letter was fake! Now she doesn't even want to talk to me," he growled.

"Don't take it too personally. Sven gave me a fake letter to deliver and say was from you and I told her about that one, too," I smirked. "Serves you two right for being a pair of jackasses."

"And what gave you the right to interfere?" he demanded as though ignoring half of what I'd said.

"The fact that I have more brains and guts than the pair of you put together?" I offered.

For a moment I thought he actually might try and hit me. It would have been a foolish move, since a simply nudge with my foot would put the blunt edge of the axe into his shin and probably stop his attack right there. Instead, he just took a deep breath as though to calm himself. "You haven't heard the last of this," he muttered in a tone that was likely supposed to be threatening.

"Of course not. I still have to wait for Sven to come and bitch at me about it, too," I said. "Now then, one of us actually has work to do, so why don't you run off and bother some other kind girl, hm?"

I received a glare that could probably melt the snow off the mountains with its intensity and took great delight in returning a rather bored expression before hefting my axe, turning around and returning to my paid work. I actually heard him stomping off, muttering curses and other such angry things to himself. I hardly felt it was something to be concerned about. One disgruntled Bosmer wasn't going to be the death of me.

I must admit, I was greatly looking forward to the confrontation Sven would thrust upon me the entire rest of the day. Compared to his elven counterpart he had just enough more ego and just enough less brains that it was undoubtedly going to be an entertaining experience. So when I all but ran into him as he came out of the Riverwood Trader red-faced, fuming and looking around agitatedly - likely to attempt to fault me for being honest - I had to work very hard to suppress the smug smirk threatening to tear my lips apart. "You look like you've lost something important," I noted in a helpful tone.

"You!" he growled.

"Me," I finally broke and chuckled at his expense. "You know, this is the second conversation today that's started this way." I scratched at my chin thoughtfully. "Is it how the people of Skyrim commonly greet each other?"

"You told her about the letter!" he continued ranting.

"I don't see what you and Faendal are so pissed off about. It isn't like I only screwed one of you over," I folded my arms across my chest. "Besides, this wouldn't have happened if either of you had decided to just man up and actually talk to the woman."

"You think you're a better man than me?" Sven sneered.

"It isn't much of a competition," I shrugged.

"Ha! You aren't even a man. Just some beast who likes to act like it is," he mocked me. My jaw tightened, but I quelled my anger. It wouldn't do to lose my temper and do something needlessly violent.

"Maybe, but I'm still more of a man than you," I replied in an even tone.

I saw his hands clench into fists at his side. "You want to act like a man? Fine. Then how about we settle this like men?"

"Like men?" I gave him a falsely perplexed look. "Oh. You mean like this." My fist put him on his ass on the ground with a dazed look in his eyes before he had even finished blinking. I stood over him, ready to continue if he made it seem like I should. "Here's a tip: don't pick fights you have no chance of winning. It's bad for your health," I said before making my way past him towards Alvor's house. To my surprise, he actually didn't attack me from behind. I thought that maybe he wasn't as stupid as I initially thought, even if not by much.

I pushed the door open and looked around the house. Alvor, Sigrid and Dorthe were sitting at their table, quietly enjoying a meal from a large pot of stew. Hadvar had already left earlier that day, though not before very helpfully reminding me of his wish for me to come to Solitude some day. I told him I would, at the very least, consider not joining the Stormcloaks. It didn't seem like their whole "Nords-only" ideology would mesh well with my own way of thinking.

"Enough food left for one more?" I asked as I entered the house.

"Of course. Help yourself," Sigrid gestured to the table.

"I think I shall," I sat down at a free chair. There was already a bowl for me, which I quite happily filled with the stew. I had no clue what was in it besides some kind of meat and a medley of vegetables, but then I didn't really care. At the end of the day, food was food and it all filled me up the same.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," I announced my decision. It likely came across as somewhat random, but I hadn't had a chance to tell them any time earlier.

"You know where you'll be headed?" Alvor asked.

"I was thinking of stopping in at Whiterun and seeing if I could be useful there," I said. "I'll be sure to tell the Jarl about your request for aid, too, if I can get an audience with him."

"Thank you," he said gratefully.

"Don't mention it," I said dismissively. "Someone's gotta tell him and it's on my way. More or less."

"I'm assuming you'll need food and supplies for your trip," Sigrid said as she stood from the table.

I raised a hand that did little to stop her. "Please, I've taken enough advantage of your hospitality already."

"Don't be foolish. You'll need food for wherever you end up going and we have plenty to spare," she waved me off. "Now where's your pack?"

* * *

><p>"Knock, knock," I called out as I opened the door into the Riverwood Trader.<p>

"Hello, my friend!" Lucan called out as I walked in. "What can I do for you today?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you had any old spellbooks kicking around," I said, walking over to the counter.

He turned around and knelt down to search through a small bookshelf. "I might have something, but if you're really interested in learning magic, you should probably go to the College of Winterhold."

"That certainly sounds like an...educational place," I chuckled. "You wouldn't mind marking it on my map, would you?"

"Not at all," he said as he stood up and turned around, a pair of books in his hand. "Well, here's a couple spellbooks. Hopefully they help."

I watched him make a small mark on the northeastern part of my map. "Thank you. How much will these cost?" I asked the dreaded question.

"Don't worry about it," he waved me off. "I'll never sell those to anyone else, so I may as well give them to a friend."

"Thank you," I said again, this time with no small amount of surprise.

He gave me a smile, a bizarre expression for the man. A smirk fit his face far better. Camilla came down the stairs a moment later, giving me a sly smile when she saw me. "Brother, it's almost time you were leaving, yes?" she asked.

He looked out a window, his eyebrows shooting up. "How time flies," he chuckled and grabbed a coat. "Have a nice night," he said over his shoulder at us on his way out the door.

"He seemed to be in a bit of a rush," I said offhandedly.

"Yes, he did," she agreed. "I can't help but think he's found some girl who's caught his interest that he doesn't want me to know about."

I folded my arms across my chest and leaned back against the counter. "Or maybe he's found some boy, and he doesn't want you to know about _that_," I suggested with a laugh.

The thought actually made her pause. "You...actually think so?" she asked hesitantly.

I raised a spiky eyebrow at her. "I wouldn't rule out the possibility," I shrugged. "Why? Would that be an issue?"

She hastily shook her head. "No, no. Just...unexpected."

"As unexpected as an Argonian being attracted to an Imperial?" I offered helpfully.

She scoffed. "I think an Imperial being attracted to an Argonian is more unlikely," she said jokingly.

"Hey, I'll have you know that I'm pretty good looking, by Argonian standards," I acted offended. I knew she was only joking, though there was some truth to her words. It was far more common for an Argonian to profess an attraction to the smooth-skin races than the other way around.

"I'm sure you are," she smiled at me. "Actually, you'd be surprised how many humans quietly wonder about what an Argonian bedfellow is like. I think every young girl wonders about it in her adolescence."

The knowledge caught me flatfooted. "Seriously?" I raised a sceptical brow. "I thought humans and elves thought of Argonians and Khajiit as the lesser races."

"Some of them," she admitted. "But those of us who weren't raised on racial prejudices are more curious than anything. I think your race seems very...exotic to us."

"Exotic, eh?" I chuckled. "I certainly hope that exotic didn't end up meaning strange and unpleasant."

She looked at the door, then gave me a sidewards glance and a quick, sly smile before shrugging. "You know, I can't really remember. The possibility exists that I might need a bit of a reminder."

I was prying suddenly very dry lips apart in an attempt to make a witty remark as she turned and walked towards the stairs, but all I ended up doing was giving a decidedly non-witty "Is that a fact?" that I wanted to slap myself for. I withheld the urge, instead opting to simply follow her with my eyes her as she locked the door of the shop, though I did make sure to push myself away from the counter.

"Fact?" she smiled at me again. "I never said anything about fact. I said there was a possibility," she corrected before making her way up the stairs with a noticeable sway to her hips. "The only fact I'm aware of is that in a matter of moments I'll be naked in my bed and I'd much rather not be alone."

I'm sure I had a rather stupid expression on my face as I stared after her after she was up the stairs. "You're beyond evil, you know that?" I called as I followed. "I'm pretty sure that I'm the only-" I cut myself off as I reached the top floor and caught sight of her quite naked form. I was, at the least, quite impressed with how quickly she could undress. Though the thought occurred that all she had been wearing downstairs was the dress with nothing beneath and my pants were suddenly horribly constricting.

"The only what?" she prompted in a mock innocent tone.

I coughed in an attempt to get my voice back. "The only Argonian that's going to work on," I finished.

"Then be thankful you're the only Argonian I've ever considered," she raised an eyebrow with a slight smile. "Unfortunately, it seems you aren't too interested, considering your distance."

I don't know how quickly armour issupposed to come off, or how she had had so much trouble with my pants the night before, or how my ankles didn't break when I simply tore off my boots. I do know, however, that I was as naked as she and pressing her against a wall with my lips to hers in what felt like the space of a heartbeat. Her surprise as my speed and eagerness was evident, though so was her delight as her arms wrapped around my neck and pulled me tight against her. I felt her shift slightly to accommodate my spines.

"I think we're passed our awkwardness," I muttered as I nearly attacked her neck with my lips, teeth and tongue.

She made a mewling sound that I took as agreement. Nails scraped down my chest and stomach, tickling the sensitive scales and setting the muscles beneath twitching. A quiet hiss escaped my throat as one of her hands tightly gripped my hard length.

Turnabout's fair play, I reasoned as one my own hands slipped down her body to press a finger into her already wet folds. After a moment I found that fascinating little nub at the apex of her sex and pressed the pad of my finger against it. I was rewarded with a loud moan in my ear and a hard squeeze of my shaft.

From there it turned into some sort of carnal competition. Nails scratched over scales, teeth nipped at flesh and each of us did what we could to make the other one buckle first. Between her hand stroking my hardened cock and my fingers rubbing hard circles around her nub, it was more or less a toss-up for who would last longer.

Still, I was never one to take chances, nor was I someone who particularly enjoyed losing. With this in mind I flicked her hand from me and spun her around. I caught a glimpse of her surprised and flushed face before I reached around to her front and carefully pushed a clawed finger into her slick heat while my other hand rather roughly grasped her breast. She let out a sharp, quick scream of pleasure.

I pressed flush against her back as a second finger slipped into her and my tongue resumed its work on her neck. She turned her head to press her lips against mine, one hand gripping the horns on the back of my head and the other keeping her steady against the wall. My long tongue pushed into her mouth and when she began to rather enthusiastically suck on it all rational thought promptly flew from my mind.

My fingers pulled from her and dragged a wet trail across her hip when I spun her around again and pushed her onto the bed. She latched onto my shoulders and pulled me down with her. I barely missed smacking her face with mine and instead ended up with my face buried in a pillow. I heard a slight tear from the fabric that could have only been caused by my horn. I couldn't have cared less.

Her hand guided me to her entrance and I pushed my throbbing member into her while I kissed a sloppy trail up her neck to her lips. She let out a harsh moan into my mouth at the same time as a throaty hiss escaped it. I forced myself up so I was kneeling over her and began pounding into her. Her legs wrapped around my waist in a tight grip to pull me in as deeply as possible.

Quiet, muttered curses unexpectedly flowed from her lips between her gasps and moans. My hands latched onto her waist in a hard grip in a desperate attempt to push myself harder and deeper into the heated constriction of her sex. It began to take every ounce of self-control I could muster to keep myself from my climax, though she at least seemed almost as close.

Her moans and cries grew steadily louder, quickly drowning out the sound of scales meeting flesh. Her fingers clawed and grasped at the bedding beneath her. She gazed up at me through half-open eyes. I briefly wondered how my face must have looked to her, all sharp angles and black scales and scars focused around a pair of pale blue eyes with very inhuman slitted pupils. The idea incited a rush of insecurity that I forced myself to ignore. It clearly didn't matter to her if I looked human. I did, after all, have my dick buried to the hilt inside of her.

I was very sharply brought back to reality as she reached her peak and clenched hard around said piece of anatomy. The force and suddenness of it knocked the wind out of me and drew out my own orgasm. Something between a harsh gasp and a hiss squeezed past my teeth and I shut my eyes against the stars that burst before them.

I drew myself from her welcoming heat and let myself drop to lie beside her. She looked at me and smiled wearily, her face and neck coated in a sheen of sweat and her chest heaving with each gasp of breath she drew. My recovery was only slightly faster. "That was certainly more...energetic than last time," I noted casually.

I watched her touch a tentative hand to her crotch and wince slightly and caught a glimpse of the mixed fluids coating her fingers when she returned it to her side. "Yes, it was," she agreed. "I don't think I've ever been fucked like that before."

"How very decidedly unladylike language," I laughed quietly.

She scoffed at the remark. "Being a lady is for when I'm out in public. When I'm lying naked, sweaty and satisfied in a bed with the man who just fucked me raw, I think I'm allowed a bit of cursing."

"What an enlightened opinion," I deadpanned. "Still, I really can't argue. Good to know I did such a satisfactory job, too."

She sighed contentedly and rested her head on my chest and shoulder. "Good enough for your second try," she giggled. "You know, you're a lot warmer than most people would think."

"If Argonians were the exact same as lizards we'd freeze to death as soon as we got north of Black Marsh," I shrugged, an awkward answer with someone lying on top of me. "We're just different enough to survive in a place like Morrowind or Skyrim without dying much quicker than most other races. Except for Nords, but I think they're a special case. And Khajiit have all that fur..."

"You talk too much sometimes," she looked up at me with an amused expression. "So shut up for a minute and let me enjoy some post-coital peace, okay?"

"I could always just start touching you inappropriately again," I offered.

"As much as I'd love that, I don't think my vagina could take it right now," she groaned. I coughed out a quick laugh.

"You know, you weren't nearly so foul-mouthed last night."

"It was the first time I'd ever had sex with an Argonian. It was something I needed to get used to."

"The first time I ever had sex with an Argonian I didn't think it was all that strange."

"You're an ass."

"I'm also leaving tomorrow," I suddenly blurted out.

She was silent for a moment before pressing herself more tightly to my side. "...Then I'd really like you to shut up and let me enjoy this."

I didn't say a word the rest of the night.

* * *

><p>The brisk fall air of morning nipped at my face as I walked down the road towards Whiterun. I left Riverwood without a word to anyone, waking up with the sun in Camilla's bed and slipping out without disturbing her. It seemed cold, but to be honest I hated goodbyes and figured it was just the easiest way of doing it. I grabbed my pack, supplies and equipment from Alvor's house in silence and walked into the pale light of early morning.<p>

A couple hours had passed since then and judging by my map I was almost to Whiterun. I looked up from the spellbook I was reading as I came around a bend through a thicket to see farms below me and what looked almost like a fortress in the distance. It was a walled city built on a small mountain and I could only assume it was Whiterun. "That wasn't so bad," I said to no one as I marked my page in the book and tucked it away in my pack. It was a tome on frost spells, though it only covered the basics in depth. By the end, with a bit of practice, I hoped I would be able to replicate my fire spell as a freezing cone of air.

I was about to continue along the path when I heard what sounded like shouting. One voice sounded distinctly feminine, though the other was guttural and inhuman. I broke into a jog, curiosity winning out over reason. It didn't take me very long to find the source of all the noise.

In the openness of a farmer's field was a woman fighting what had to have been a giant. I had heard of them before I came to Skyrim; stories of huge men who herd even more massive beasts across the tundra. It wasn't even as though I assumed the stories untrue. I had seen far, far stranger things back home in Black Marsh.

My pack hit the ground behind me and I darted towards the pair at a dead sprint when I saw the woman fall. She looked to be a capable warrior, but it also looked as though if I didn't hurry she was going to be crushed under the massive piece of wood that served as the giant's club. Both of my swords slid from their sheathes in near silence and I slashed them hard across the back of the giant's leg.

Its skin was thick and despite the sharpness of my swords they only barely managed to bite through into the flesh beneath. It still served, though, and I judged by the way it fell to its knees with a loud shout that I must have cut something important. I raised my blades to deliver a killing blow, but it struck out at me with surprising quickness and batted me away like a rag doll with its free hand.

The wind rushed from my lungs when I landed on my back. "Probably should've seen that coming," I wheezed and looked up in time to see the club swinging towards me. I rolled to the side and heard a metallic shatter behind me and when I glanced down at the wrecked earth and plants I saw the shards of one of my swords among the mess. "Oh, god dammit! Not again!" I shouted in disbelief.

The giant was still on one knee, using its good leg for leverage to swing its club at me. As it wound up for another strike I let loose a blast of flame from my free palm. It covered its face with a great howl, instead taking the burns on its hand and arm. It flailed out wildly with the club and forced me to jump back to avoid being demolished.

An arrow thudded into the back of its shoulder, drawing its attention back to the injured woman. "Hey ugly, you left a job unfinished!" she shouted as she notched another arrow. The missile slammed into the same shoulder as before, which I noticed was its club arm.

It turned fully towards her, clearly intending to correct her and finish what it had started. I saw the opportunity and charged at its back. I brought my remaining sword across the back of its neck in a tight, two-handed grip, fully hoping to simply remove its head from its shoulders in one clean sweep. Instead the blade caught and bound on the bones of its spines, and when it didn't come free when I tried to remove it on the run and I ended up getting dragged to the ground when the giant fell forward.

I stood back to my feet, planted a heel against its shoulder and heaved for all my strength on the hilt of the blade. It didn't move an inch. "Fine! Stay there and rot!" I shouted as I kicked the giant's head in frustration. "Last time I make the fucking things out of iron."

"Are you quite done?" I heard a sardonic call from the woman.

"Oh, yeah," I turned towards her. "You hurt?" I asked and walked over.

"I've been worse," she shrugged but made no move to stand.

"How wonderfully descriptive. Are you a writer?" my voice dripped with sarcasm. "Or, more importantly, can you stand?"

She winced when she moved her leg and chuckled wryly. "I'm sure I could on one leg. Don't know about walking, though."

I sighed and rubbed at the bridge of my nose. "Someone whose propensity for wit matches my own. How charming," I knelt down in front of her. "Which leg's fucked up?"

Her eyebrow arched slightly and a slight smirk touched on her lips. "My left is the one that hurts more," she answered and shifted slightly to bring the limb closer to me.

"Sounds like a pleasant mess you got yourself into," I remarked and felt along her leg for injuries. She flinched almost imperceptively as my hand pressed into a rather marked lump in her calf. "You have a broken bone in your calf that needs to be set," I informed her and stood up. "Hang on a moment."

I jogged over to what was left of my shattered sword and took the leather stripping off the hilt of it and the one uncompromisingly stuck in the giants neck. "Bite down on these so you don't crack your teeth or bite off your tongue," I held the strips out to the woman.

"You're pretty good at this," she chuckled and did as I said. A quick grunt of pain slipped past the strips in her teeth when I pressed down on the spot in her leg. I felt the bone crack back into its proper place with a satisfactory "crack".

"Give me a minute and I'll make you a splint," I said and took the strips back from her. My booted heel produced the necessary bits of wood from a plank in a nearby fence and I was glad no one was out in the fields at that moment, likely as much because of a recent fight with a giant as anything.

"A skilled warrior, mage and healer? It's quite uncommon to find someone so multitalented," the woman remarked as I bound the wood to her legs. With things calmed down I actually got a good look at her. She had long brown hair and a trio of painted slashes across a face that was, admittedly, quite pretty, even if she looked rather harsh. Her armour was worn and beaten and looked as though it was threatening to tear apart and fall off.

"Next you'll tell me I'm the most handsome lizard you've ever met and lament the inability to mother my children," I chuckled. "I'm good enough with a sword to keep myself from getting killed, I know a couple spells and I've had to fix myself a few times. It's nothing special."

"Well, you certainly are a fine...specimen," she let her eyes run over my body wantonly.

I shifted uncomfortable under my armour. I still wasn't used to receiving compliments from humans. "Could you not use a word like specimen? It's disturbing," I deflected. "Come on, give me your hand and I'll help you back to Whiterun." I took her hand and put her arm across my shoulders, encouraging her to lean most of her weight on me. She didn't protest or move away when I put a firm hand on her waist to steady her, so I took it as silent permission and left it there.

After grabbing my fallen pack, we were on our way. The pace was slow for her leg, and after a moment the silence started to grow a little stifling. "So..." I started lamely. "Just why did you take on a giant alone like that?"

"It had been raiding the farms for the past couple days. Someone had to do something about it," she explained. "I was going to ask one or two of my Shield-Brothers, but I didn't think it was going to prove that much a challenge."

"And what, exactly, is a Shield-Brother?" I asked. She must have thought me simply full of questions.

"A fellow member of the Companions, of course," she said as though it were obvious. "You're not from Skyrim, are you?"

I laughed. "What gave me away, the scales or the tail?" I smirked at her. "I didn't think many Argonians were from Skyrim. Apparently I've been misinformed." She swatted the side of my head lightly, prompting a slightly annoyed look. "I've only been here a few days. Less than a week, actually. Forgive me if I'm lacking an encyclopaedic knowledge of the various factions."

"We're a group of warriors," she explained.

"Like...Cyrodiil's Fighter's Guild?" I asked.

She looked as though it was an offensive question. "If the comparison must be made."

"So rather than tackle something twice your size with the help of another one or two skilled warriors, you decided to take it on by yourself and almost got crushed."

"I wasn't entirely out of options," she said vaguely. "But I appreciate your help, all the same. Actually, if you'd like you could come to Jorrvaskr and speak with Kodlak Whitemane about joining us. We're always happy to accept new warriors into our ranks."

"Seems like everyone wants me to join up with them lately," I muttered. "I'll think about it. In the meantime, how about I just learn your name?"

She laughed, a deep and sensual sound. "My name is Aela. My Shield-Brothers call me the Huntress. Might I know my rescuer's name?"

"It's Kailev-Tel. Everyone just calls me Kai," I introduced myself. "Say, you wouldn't happen to know where I'd be able to get a new sword or two, would you? I seem to be having difficulty lately keeping ownership of them for much more than a day."

* * *

><p>AN: Hoo boy, where to start with this. It probably would've been finished and updated a couple days ago, but it's amazing how much time visiting family and friends during the holidays takes up. Good thing I had the foresight to email it to myself, eh? I didn't know what I wanted to do with this chapter or where I wanted it to go and I definitely feel it shows, so it just ended up being one of those awkward bridge chapters that gets from one plot point to another. Until that next plot point gets written up, tell me what you think of the chapter/story so far/whatever. I'll make it a point to respond to every review I feel warrants a response. It doesn't matter if the story hits 100+ (I hardly expect it; I'm a male het writer), I'll do my utmost to answer each one I can that asks a question or raises a good point or whatever. Why do my notes always turn into rambles?


	5. Chapter 5

"Halt!" the guard at the gate called as Aela and I approached. "The city is closed with these dragons about. Official business only."

"How convenient. I'm from Helgen and I'm here to report to the Jarl about the dragon," I said.

The guard eyed me warily for a moment before banging his fist on the door behind him. The sound of a wooden bar being lifted sounded from the other side. "Alright, then I suppose I can let you in. I don't know about her, though."

"I'm a member of the Companions, you idiot," she scowled at the man. "You can either let me in or deal with them when the gates are reopened."

He stood staring dumbly at us for a moment before nodding. "Point taken," he said and stepped aside.

"That was quick thinking," Aela said as we crossed over the bridge just inside the gate. Why there was a small river just inside the wall of the city escaped me.

"I'm pretty good at that," I chuckled. I didn't feel the need to explain that it was true. "Though the though occurs...how did you get out of the city if the gate was barred shut?"

"The guard that was posted earlier knows who I am. I suppose his shift must have ended shortly after I left," she explained.

She directed me through the marketplace, a bustling little place full of people. I noticed with some trepidation that the population was almost entirely Nord and that very few looked too favourably at me, even with a wounded woman hanging from my shoulder. "I'm not entirely sure what locking the gate is supposed to do about a dragon," I said as we ascended a set of steps. "It isn't as though it's just going to knock and ask to come in politely."

Aela chuckled quietly at me. "True. I don't rightly know what the Jarl hopes to accomplish, but arguing probably won't do much good."

"Oh, I don't know. From what I hear Ulfric Stormcloak killed Skyrim's king by shouting at him. Sounds to me like arguing worked pretty well, for him," I shot her a quick smirk. She chuckled again and guided me past a huge tree in the middle of town and up another set of stairs that led towards what looked like a great hall at the back of the town.

"Aela! What happened to you?" a man asked as I reached the top of the steps. He was a beast of a man with a thick Nord accent, and judging from the two-handed greatsword strapped to his back he would have little trouble ridding me of excess limbs.

"I found this sweet young thing trying to go toe-to-toe with a giant," I slid my hand carefully up to the bottom of her ribs from its resting place on her waist. To her credit, she actually didn't shoot me the look I was expecting. "It didn't look like it was going too well for her so I stepped in and gave her a quick hand."

"The giant that's been raiding the farms, yes?" the Nord man asked knowingly. "Aela, you should have asked for help. I would have been happy to help you deal with the beast."

"I didn't expect it to prove to be so challenging," she admitted as I more or less handed her off to the man. "It was a far more competent warrior than most of the others we've killed before."

"Well, good to know that one was a special case," I added in cheerfully. "Kai, by the way, in case the charming lady here never felt the need to introduce us."

"Farkas," the Nord returned. "Allow me to thank you for helping Aela. I know that she never will."

"Not a problem. I was happy to help. Less happy about losing my swords, but happy to help nonetheless," I shrugged and turned to make my way towards the keep at the top of the city. I'm sure either Farkas or Aela said something to my back, but I wasn't paying enough attention to notice.

I ascended what I quickly decided was far too many stone steps that were bordered by an artificial pair of waterfalls I briefly wondered the purpose of. When I reached the top I found that walkway to the far-too-large doors was similarly made into a chokepoint by what amounted to a small pond that stretched beneath it to either side. I thought that perhaps it was designed as a defensive measure to make storming the building that much harder. I also thought that it might just be something pointless that whoever built the place thought looked fancy.

I was surprised when none of the guards about stopped me from simply walking up to the doors and pushing them open. For the second time since coming to Skyrim I had to wonder why people who designed castles and churches and the like made the doors so needlessly massive. I entertained myself with the idea that it was so the giants could have a fair say in matters of politics and religion to be rejected like everyone else.

"Halt!" I heard shouted at me for the second time that day when I reached the top of the stairs just inside the keep. I caught sight of a Dunmer walking with a great sense of purpose towards me. "The Jarl isn't taking any visitors. What business do you have here?"

I glanced past her to the man sitting on a throne at the far end of the hall. He was, predictably, a Nord, and despite his advanced age he had the look of a seasoned warrior. He also looked to be having a rather heated discussion with another older man. "I'm here to deliver a report about the dragon," I said and looked back at her. "I was in Helgen when it attacked, so I thought I'd come here and tell the Jarl what I know."

She looked at me suspiciously for a moment. "How do I know you aren't just spinning some wild tale?"

"You don't. But what if it turns out I'm telling the truth and turning me away costs lives?" I challenged her.

She narrowed her eyes at me before nodding and gesturing over her shoulder. "Come on. The Jarl will want to speak with you personally."

The Dunmer walked ahead of me and leaned down to mutter a few words to the Jarl. He nodded and motioned for me to approach. "So, you were at Helgen, and you saw the dragon there with your own eyes?" he asked.

"Yeah. I had a pretty good view from the chopping block," I answered flippantly and earned a raised eyebrow for it.

"You're certainly forthcoming with your criminal past."

"In my defence, I was falsely arrested. Caught up with a group of Stormcloaks when I was trying to cross the border and the Imperial captain in Helgen was kind of a bitch," I shrugged.

He waved me off. "Many people are caught up in that conflict that don't wish to be. But that isn't what I want to know right now. What I want to know is, what exactly happened in Helgen?"

"The dragon roared and spit some fire for a while. Burned most of the town to the ground, too," I maintained my light tone, despite the direness of my words. "Last I saw it was heading more or less northeast from Helgen, which I'm pretty sure means towards this area."

"By Ysmir, Irileth was right!" he swore to a name I didn't recognize. He turned to the man standing at his side. "So, Proventus, shall we continue to trust in the strength of our walls against a beast that can soar above them?"

"Also," I interjected. "Alvor, of Riverwood, asked that I request aide for the town. Considering how little protection they have from the odd stray bandit, I don't think they're very well protected against a dragon."

"He's right," Irileth agreed with me, to my surprise. "Riverwood is in the most immediate danger. If the dragon is lurking in the mountains..."

"If we mobilize our soldiers, Ulfric or Tulius might see it as us preparing for war," Proventus cut her off.

"Enough!" the Jarl all but shouted. "I'll not stand idly by while a dragon burns my hold and slaughters my people. Irileth, send a detachment to Riverwood at once. Make sure they stay safe."

"Yes, my lord," she gave a quick bow before marching off to do as he bid.

"I'll see to my duties, as well," Proventus bowed, as well, though he scuttled away more than marched.

"You sought me out on your own and made sure we had solid information about the dragon," the Jarl nodded to me. "You have done Whiterun a service, and I won't soon forget it." He stood and walked to a nearby chest. "Here, take this as a token of my gratitude," he said as he handed me a suit of studded leather armour that I recognized as an Imperial soldier's uniform.

"Thank you, Jarl Balgruuf," I said. It wasn't much for armour, but with some clever work I would like be able to use it to repair and improve on my own. I stowed it away in my ever-useful pack for later work.

"It occurs to me that I might have use for someone of your...particular talents," Balgruuf said after a moment. "Come. Let us speak with Farengar, my court wizard. He will be able to tell you more."

I followed him into a room off the side of the hall. Inside was a man bent over a mess of scrolls and tomes, looking over them in a near feverish rush. He stood up from his work as we entered the room and bowed his head to the Jarl in greeting.

"Farengar, I think we've found someone who can help with your project," Balgruuf said and gave me a quick glance. "Go ahead and fill him in with all the details." He gestured for me to speak with the mage, then left the room.

"Ah yes, he must be referring to my dragon research," Farengar nodded knowingly. "I need someone of your skills to fetch me a particular item." He stopped a moment before reconsidering his words. "Well, when I say fetch, I mean I need you to go into a potentially dangerous barrow and retrieve an artifact that may or may not be there."

"You do realize that I've done nothing to prove to you people that I have any skills beyond surviving a dragon attack and walking along a road, right?" I asked. "I mean, I killed a giant this morning, but none of you could know about that."

"There won't be any giants where you need to be going, I assure you," his words did nothing of the sort.

I sighed and knew I was going to regret asking. "Fine, fine. Where am I going and what am I supposed to be 'fetching'?"

"Straight to the point, I like that. Leave the details to your betters," he nodded approvingly. "I've heard of a tablet in Bleak Falls Barrow that depicts a map of known dragon burial sites."

"Hold on," I stopped him and shucked my pack off my shoulders. I didn't even bother getting offended about his comment regarding my "betters". "You mean this tablet?" I asked and lifted what I considered a massive paperweight.

"Ah! The Dragonstone. You already found it," he sounded positively delighted. "You are certainly cut from a different cloth than the usual brutes the Jarl hands me."

"That doesn't mean I expect to get paid any differently," I held the stone out of his reach. "Unless you pay them poorly. In that case, I completely expect to be paid differently."

He moved with surprising quickness and grabbed the stone from my hand. "You'll have to speak to the Jarl or the steward about that. I'm sure one of them will pay you appropriately," he waved me off and set the stone down on the table.

"Farengar!" a somewhat familiar voice shouted as Irileth came running into the room. "A dragon has been sighted nearby. The Jarl wants you to hear the report," she said and turned to me. "You should come, too."

"Well, it certainly didn't waste any time showing up, now did it?" I chuckled as we followed her out of the room. "Imagine if I'd stayed in the market to do some shopping. You wouldn't even have needed me to report."

"I'd take this a bit more seriously, if I were you," Irileth replied in a serious tone. "If the dragon attacks Whiterun, I don't know if we'll be able to defend ourselves against it."

I scoffed at her. "No matter how much noise it makes or how hot things get around it, a dragon's still made of meat. Jab it enough times with a pointy object and it'll go down." I shrugged lightly. "And if it doesn't, you probably won't have to worry about it for very long."

We arrived at the second floor to find a guard reporting to the Jarl. "...It was fast. Faster than anything I've ever seen. I ran here as fast as I could. I thought it would come after me for sure."

"Did it attack the watchtower?" Balgruuf asked.

"No. It was just...circling and watching," the man looked somewhat disturbed by the fact.

The Jarl planted a reassuring hand on the guard's shoulder. "You've done a good job. See to it that you get some hot food and rest."

With a bow of his head the guard left. "What would you have me do, my lord?" Irileth stepped forth.

"Take a small detachment of men and see what's going on at the western watchtower," he ordered. He then turned to me. "Go with her. You have more experience dealing with dragons than anyone else here."

"I can run away from them pretty well. Other than that I don't know how much good I'll be, especially with no weapons," I gestured to my empty scabbards. The Jarl ordered Irileth to get me a blade, though I didn't have time to request she grab me two.

"I should go with them," Farengar finally spoke. "I would very much like to see this dragon."

Balgruuf shook his head. "No, you will stay here. I'll not risk both your lives." The wizard looked disappointed but nonetheless nodded his head in response. The Jarl turned to me with a grim look. "Get to the watchtower with Irileth. There's no telling what damage that dragon can do if we don't stop it quickly."

I was about to turn and leave when I remembered something. "Oh yeah, speaking of rewards, Farengar said to ask you about, well, a reward for giving him the Dragonstone."

"That is the tablet you were searching for, yes?" he asked the other man.

"Yes. This traveller was already carrying it when he arrived," the mage answered.

"Then I will see to it that you are rewarded properly when you get back from dealing with the dragon," Balgruuf nodded to me before walking back down to the throne room, Farengar in tow.

"Wouldn't want to give me the reward _before_ I possibly die," I muttered to myself. "Of course not. This way he might not even have to give me anything." I sighed, shook my head at my own foolishness for not just running when I got away from Helgen, and started towards the city gate, leaving my pack just inside the door to the keep.

When I got there, Irileth was just gathering her men. When she saw me she handed me a simple steel blade. It was plain, but effective. Testing the edge with my thumb, I also found that it was painfully dull. "This is gonna take down a dragon, all right," I said with false pride. "Maybe if I hit him hard enough with it, I'll give him a bruise. Do dragons bruise?"

"I wouldn't know. I've never fought one before," she seemed inclined to ignore my sarcasm.

"Well, then I guess that makes..." I counted all the soldiers she had gathered. "...Six of us. Our chances are getting better by the minute."

She didn't respond, instead turning to her men and starting into what was likely to be a rousing speech. I turned as well, though I ended up facing a forge. "Begging your pardon," I said as I walked up to the woman working the steel. She was sooty, calloused, and overall looked the part of a blacksmith. "Would you happen to mind if I used your grinding wheel for just a minute? I'm to go fight a dragon and I've been given a sword that I doubt has the edge to cut my scales."

The woman looked at me oddly. "A dragon?" her voice clearly carried her disbelief.

"Oh my, yes," I replied with false cheer. "Apparently the fact that I've seen one and ran my tail off away from it means that I'm the most qualified man in all of Skyrim when it comes to killing one. Doesn't that make you feel great about your countrymen?" She didn't immediately respond, so I continued. "Anyways, your grinding wheel? Yes? No? Preferably yes."

She hesitantly nodded and I set about sharpening the sword into something that was a threat to more than the one using it.

"Are you ready yet?" Irileth asked in an impatient tone as I finished with one side of the blade.

"No. You can wait a couple minutes. The dragon isn't going anywhere," I waved her off and went to work on the other edge.

"It might! That's why we're supposed to be getting to the watchtower as quickly as possible," she nearly growled at me.

"Don't worry, it isn't going to leave. I'm nowhere near that lucky," I chuckled at my own expense. "Since I've gotten to Skyrim the only good thing that's happened to me is..." I paused. "Well, only a couple good things have happened," I continued after clearing my throat. "The point is, the dragon will wait quite patiently for me to get there so it can eat me. It's just the way my world works." I stood up and looked over my work. "Besides, I'm done. A little bit of a rushed work, but at least it should be able to break skin now."

When I looked up from the sword, Irileth and her soldiers were gone, already out the city gate and headed towards the watchtower. "How rude," I said to the blacksmith with a mock-offended tone. "I tell you, the nerve of some people. They're going to go get themselves killed without me."

It took a bit of a jog, but I eventually caught up with them. I was happy with the fact that for all the distance I had run I was only slightly winded. "So glad you finally decided to join us," Irileth glanced over at me as I fell in step next to her.

"I'm sure if I thought for long enough I could come up with a witty retort to that," I did my best to frown, an interesting proposition with an Argonian mouth. I think it ended up looking like a scowl.

"There's the watchtower!" one of the soldiers ahead of us called. I turned to look and saw a rather disheartening sight.

The tower looked like it had been sacked. A few corpses dotted the field along with broken stone and fire. "So we're supposed to fight something that can do that," I pointed at the devastation, "with swords and arrows. Okay. Yeah. This plan sounds good. High chance of success."

"Quit complaining," the Dunmer growled at me. "We have a job to do. We might have been able to help these men if you had hurried up."

"Not to burst your bubble, but this battle wasn't five minutes ago," I gestured again to the approaching field. "Though it doesn't look like it was much of a battle."

"Men, I want you to fan out and look for any survivors. I want to know what happened here," she disregarded me and called to her troops. They instantly did as ordered, rushing out to look over the area.

I made my way up to the tower itself. The stairway was littered with rubble and felt treacherous under my boots. My hand flew to the hilt of the sword at my waist as a man in Whiterun guard's armour popped out of the doorway when I approached it. "Who are you?" he asked in a panicked voice.

"Akatosh, clearly," I returned in a deadpan. I leaned back out of the threshold. "Hey, Irileth! I found one!" I shouted out to her.

"Quiet, you fool! The beast will hear you," the guard whispered harshly.

"Yeah, I'm counting on it," I said and walked partway back down the steps. I stopped when I heard the sound of beating wings.

There was no scream of warning, no sign that anyone had even seen the monster as it descended upon us. In an instant all was chaos. The dragon swooped low and let loose a torrent of fire across the field, burning one of the men to ash where he stood. The soldiers returned the gesture with arrows. I was impressed with how many only four of them could let loose.

The dragon landed before another of the guards after a couple more passes overhead. He barely had time to scream before he was snapped up in the beasts mouth and shaken about like a rag doll. I leapt down from the steps and took off at a sprint towards it as it released the now dead man and let him soar across the field to land in an unceremonious heap. I drew my blade and picked another one up off the ground as I ran. I seemed to be the only one willing to attack it up close, though I couldn't blame the others for wanting to stay out of reach and use their bows. Even though most of the arrows only bounced off its thick, hard scales, they still kept it pinned down well enough to hinder its ability to counterattack.

I circled around to its side, hoping to get around behind to attack and evade its clearly deadly jaws. It anticipated this, however, and blew forth another gust of flame that forced me to duck and charge directly at it.

Steel clashed against teeth as I went back and forth between slashing at its face and fending off its attacks. When I saw my chance I hopped to the side and made to plunge my sword into its eye, since I severely doubted it would be as tough as its hide. The dragon moved back just enough to avoid the blow and opened its massive jaws, and I noticed with no small amount of dread that it meant to bite down on my arm. I pulled back only a fraction of a second fast enough and ended up with my sword caught in its teeth. The blade shattered a moment later, leaving me with a useless hilt in one hand.

I tossed the offending piece of metal away just as the dragon spread its wings in an obvious attempt to take to the air and resume reeking havoc where I couldn't reach it. I ran under its wing and stabbed my sword into the air, piercing the much more delicate skin. I kept running forward to carve a large slice through the skin and ruin any ability the beast had to fly. In response its tail swiped across my shoulder and head and sent me flying.

My helmet flew off from the impact and I landed on the ground with a tumble. My sword flew somewhere from my grasp, but I dimly figured that was for the best. It kept me from rolling on it and stabbing myself.

I sat up in a daze and felt at my horns, shocked to find that none had been ripped out by the blow. It certainly felt like something had. My shoulder was sore, but a quick roll told me that it wasn't shattered or even dislocated. All things considered, I had gotten pretty lucky. I looked back up at the dragon in time to see it tear the guard from the tower in half with its jaws, and certainly considered myself luckier than him.

In mere moments I had retrieved my sword and was back at the dragon. It turned its gaping maw towards me and I was vaguely aware of it speaking a single word. "Yol," sounded distantly in its throat. The word was followed by another blast of flame.

I dropped from my sprint to land on my back, sliding under the wave of fire and underneath its jaw. I jammed my sword into the soft flesh of its throat. It reacted by snapping its neck back, lifting me from the ground, though my sword didn't hold and I fell back to my feet. I slashed at the soft scales above me with reckless abandon until its head started to fall. I stepped aside, turned, and brought my sword down with all my strength across the back of its neck. I didn't even bother trying to pull the blade out, simply letting go of it and turning towards the stunned soldiers.

"That went better than I thought it would," I quipped as Irileth and the two remaining soldiers made their way over.

She nodded grimly. "We lost three good men to the beast, but that's better than all of Whiterun. I'm surprised it was able to destroy Helgen so easily."

"It didn't." She looked surprised at my words. "That wasn't the dragon that attacked Helgen. It's smaller and doesn't look nearly as mean," I explained. "Unfortunately, it looks like we have a lot more than just one dragon to deal with."

A sound not unlike a fire burning caused us to become distracted from our conversation. I turned around to see what looked for all the world like the dragon's flesh burning away. "Is that supposed to happen?" I asked aloud. "I don't think that's supposed to happen."

The glowing embers of the dragon's skin and flesh turned into a swirling vortex of energy. I was mesmerized by it until it suddenly flew forth and passed into me. It felt like the wind was knocked from my body. I dropped to my knees and clenched my eyes shut as a sort of power spread through my body, racing through my veins and setting my flesh alight. My eyes snapped open and glowing shapes danced before my vision, coalescing into the glyphs I had seen in Bleak Falls Barrow. It took me all of an instant to realize that I had just been granted the ability to use the knowledge I had learned there.

I pushed myself to my feet as the glyphs twisted into a word I could read. "Fus," I spoke for the second time of my life, though this time it came not as a whisper, but as a shout. The force of my voice hit the dragon's bones, sending some scattering and dislodging my sword from its place at the neck.

I shook my head and looked over at Irileth and the soldiers. "What in Oblivion was that?" I asked.

"I was hoping you could tell us," Irileth looked at me curiously.

"He's the Dragonborn! He must be," one of the guards said excitedly.

"Don't be foolish. The Dragonborn is only a legend," the other berated him.

"So are dragons," the first retorted.

"...Okay, that's a good point."

"Not to interrupt or anything, but would a Dragonborn be?" I cut in.

"Stories tell of a man born with the body of a mortal, but the soul of a dragon," the first guard explained. "The last true Dragonborn was Tiber Septim."

"You don't say," I chuckled and walked over to where my sword had flown nearby and picked it up from the ground. "Well, I guess that means someone's going to be pretty pissed off that the newest one is an Argonian, huh."

* * *

><p>AN: I was going to go further, but then I thought it'd probably just start dragging on something awful. I don't like it when my writing starts to drag on. There's a reason I never finished Heart of Darkness. Ideally, I'd like every chapter to have some degree of action in it, whether that's a sex scene or a fight scene. Or both, depending. That said, I want that sort of stuff to be organic and believable. I never want to write something that feels forced, because that isn't fun for anyone, and what I want above all else in this story is for it to be fun. I want it to be fun for me to write and I want it to be fun for you to read. That's mostly why it's become a running gag for at least one of Kai's swords to break in a major fight; I just find the idea entertaining. Well, I've rambled on too much, so as always, leave your questions/critiques/whatever and if it's something worthwhile, I'll happily get back to you about it.


	6. Chapter 6

We were arriving back at town when the ground shook. "Dovahkiin," a voice in the form of a great shout was carried on the winds. To my shock I understood the word, despite never having heard it before in my life.

"Oh, that sounded all kinds of unfriendly," I spoke aloud and looked to my companions. "Okay, so what was that and why do I know what it meant?"

"The Greybeards," one of the guards muttered. "See? I told you he was the Dragonborn."

"This all sounds a little overbearing for my liking," I frowned. We continued towards Dragonsreach, though a great part of me was less than thrilled with the situation. "Someone want to explain a thing or two to the ignorant lizard?"

"The Jarl will explain everything once we get to Dragonsreach," Irileth spoke as though it should reassure me.

"Because just explaining it to me on the way and saving me time would be so much harder," I muttered quietly to myself. The thought flashed in my mind that perhaps she simply didn't know enough about the subject and the Jarl was the only one who could really give me accurate information. I also thought that she may just want to dump the responsibility on someone else and save herself the trouble.

The rest of the walk went by wordlessly, surrounded by the white noise of a bustling town. The two guards flanking me spoke to each other in muted tones, though whether it was so I couldn't overhear or simply out of a desire for privacy, I couldn't tell and didn't really care too much.

"You've returned!" the Jarl stood from his throne when we arrived at the top of the steps inside the keep. "What happened at the watchtower? Was the dragon there?"

Irileth motioned for me to explain and I held back the urge to glare at her. "The watchtower has been nearly destroyed and three of your men died in the battle, but we killed the dragon."

He nodded, his lips set in a grim line. "I had not imagined everyone would survive, but their lives were traded for the safety of our city. They died honourably." I was tempted to ask what was honourable about being torn in half by a dragon, but thought better of it. "Did anything else happen at the watchtower?" he asked and I could instantly tell he knew something he wasn't saying.

"Nothing particularly noteworthy, no," I shrugged.

"My lord," I let out a sigh as Irileth interjected. "After the dragon was slain, this Argonian absorbed some kind of power from it and let loose a Shout of great power."

"A Shout?" the Jarl seemed less surprised than he should have.

I turned to look at Irileth. "Did the thought occur to you that maybe I didn't consider that particularly noteworthy?"

"You were just saying you wanted to know if you were Dragonborn."

"Yeah, but then my senses came to me," I frowned and looked up at the Jarl. "Okay, so it turns out I may be that thing she said."

"What do you know about the Dragonborn?" he asked and sat back down on his throne.

"Not a thing. It's just what the men called me," I shrugged again.

"The Greybeards seem to think the same thing."

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" I folded my arms across my chest. "Look, I'm not from Skyrim and I'm hardly versed in all your lore. You're going to need to elaborate a little bit."

He actually took on something akin to a sympathetic look and nodded. "They are masters of the Voice who live in seclusion high on the slopes of the Throat of the World. The Dragonborn is said to be gifted in the Way of the Voice, able to focus his energy into a Thu'um, or Shout. If you really are the Dragonborn it is likely that they can teach you to use your gift."

"Didn't you hear the thundering cry earlier?" a man to my right said. I hadn't noticed him until he spoke and I nearly jumped at his voice. "That was the Shout of the Greybeards, summoning you to High Hrothgar. It hasn't happened in centuries, at least. Not since Tiber Septim himself was summoned."

"And you're sure that I'm the Dragonborn?" I smiled humourlessly. "I mean, isn't it some unwritten rule that Argonians can't be anything special in other countries?"

I was surprised at how many frowns I received for my self-deprecation. "The Greybeards are an ancient and honoured order and absolute masters of the Way of the Voice. If they say you are the Dragonborn, then who are we to argue?" Jarl Balgruuf's voice left no room for any further argument on my part.

Clearly my opinion wasn't the one that mattered in this. "So I suppose I'm left climbing a mountain in the near future, then?" my chuckle was hollow, even to my ears. "Wonderful. I love frostbite."

"Despite your obvious apprehension, being summoned by the Greybeards is a tremendous honour. You should go to High Hrothgar as soon as possible," the Jarl continued.

"I'll be sure to get right on that," I made my voice sound genuine. Whether or not I actually did hardly seemed like their concern after I left Whiterun. Not that I had any precise idea of where I wanted to go.

Balgruuf nodded, apparently satisfied with my answer. "In the meantime, I wish to name you Thane of Whiterun in recognition of your services to our city. Do you accept?"

"You're going to have to explain that one to the Argonian. We're kind of slow when it comes to matters of civility," my eyebrow arched slightly. "Or at least that's what the other races seem to like to think..." I muttered under my breath.

He didn't seem to hear the last part. "Simply put, you would be a member of my court, given a housecarl to serve under you. It is an honoured position not awarded to many people."

There was that word again. Everything in Skyrim seemed to revolve around "honour". I assumed that if I asked what a housecarl was, the answer would be something along the lines of "honoured servant". They could at least come up with a different word for it. "I accept then, I guess. A little political clout never did anyone any harm," I shrugged.

To my surprise, the Jarl actually chuckled quietly. "Indeed. If you're caught doing anything...less than strictly legal, you can explain your position to the guards and they'll probably look the other way. Wouldn't want them thinking you're one of the common rabble."

I had to work to keep my eyes from bulging out of my skull and my jaw from dropping open. I was being given free license to commit crimes. I doubted that included anything more serious than petty theft, but nonetheless I was shocked. Balgruuf turned to speak to his steward. "Proventus, prepare for the ceremony tonight," he faced the woman standing beside me, "Irileth, I want you to find our friend here a suitable housecarl."

"Yes, my lord," the man nodded curtly while the Dunmer bowed. Each was gone in a matter of moments, leaving me alone before the Jarl. The man who had been standing on my other side had vanished sometime during the conversation before without me noticing, something I found somewhat bothersome. It wasn't often I missed details like that.

A thought seemed to strike the Nord sitting before me. "I don't think anyone's told me your name, yet," he frowned.

"Yeah, I get that a lot," I chuckled dryly. "It's Kailev-Tel, though most people...well, it's Kailev-Tel," I hesitated in explaining my preferred short form. It seemed unlikely that someone of his stature would settle for referring to me as anything but my proper name.

"Very well, Kailev-Tel, Thane of Whiterun Hold," he spoke with reverence of my position. I was suddenly very unsure about how much I liked the sound of the title. "The ceremony to make it proper will be held in a couple hours. Until then, find something to eat. Fighting that dragon must have worked up quite an appetite. Oh, and I haven't forgotten about you bringing us the Dragonstone. Please, take this enchanted tunic from my personal armoury."

He handed me something akin to a leather cuirass, though it was much softer than any armour I was used to. I inwardly doubted its ability to protect me against blades and arrows, but I couldn't deny the magical energy I felt buzzing in it.

"Thank you," I gave the Jarl a curt nod. "I'm certainly not someone who'll turn down a free meal," I turned to look across the large tables in the hall. I was sure that on some level the Jarl was somewhat offended at someone walking away without a "my lord" and a bow, but then I wasn't really a citizen of Whiterun, or even Skyrim. Even if he gave me a fancy title I was still just a mercenary.

There was a small bowl of apples available on one of the tables, though what purpose it served beyond being available for snacking I couldn't tell. I thought that perhaps people who liked to feel important also liked to always have food available, regardless of the time of day. I also thought that I had eaten more apples since coming to Skyrim than the entire rest of my life.

Food in hand, I decided to see if Farengar had many any progress with the Dragonstone. I severely doubted it, considering it had been less than a day, but I needed something to do to kill time until whatever ostentatious ceremony they had planned. The wizard glanced up for a moment before looking back down at the stone on his table, eyes flipping between it and a piece of parchment he was writing on beside it.

"Made any progress?" I asked as I approached.

"A bit. I shall have to ask the Jarl to send some men out to the nearer burial sites. I dread the thought of the dragons coming back to life," he said gravely.

"Well, they came from somewhere," I shrugged and glanced over his notes. "So you've just been staring at this thing and scribbling since I left this afternoon? It's going to be horrible standing up straight again."

"My work is important. I cannot afford interruptions," he said as he continued scribbling notes.

"Maybe, but working on the same thing for hours straight doesn't do anyone any good. It makes research end up sloppy and the whole thing more fatiguing," I said. He gave me an odd look as though he was startled that I knew something so profoundly intelligent. "What? Not all lizards are stupid, you know."

"Clearly," he muttered as he stood up straight and rubbed at his eyes. I wasn't incredibly offended by it. Even a backhanded compliment was half-nice.

"Why don't you take a break and show me how to work this...thing?" I asked and motioned to a rather ornate looking table at the back of his study. It reminded me of an altar, etched with a five-pointed star and covered in glowing symbols. Each of the star's points had a candle, except for the very top which had a crystal ball with a candle on either side of it. The whole thing was very obviously some kind of magical device, though I had no idea what its use was. Still, I entertained the thought of learning.

"The Arcane Enchanter?" he sounded surprised. "I didn't realize you had any skill in magic."

"I know a few spells. Always looking to get better, though," I said flippantly and walked over to the foreboding altar. "So this thing is what you use to enchant armour?"

"Armour, weapons, rings, anything really," Farengar nodded as he followed me. "You have to use it to learn an enchantment, though, and for that you need an enchanted item. Using the Enchanter to learn an enchantment destroys the item, though. After that, you can put that enchantment on another item, if it can maintain it. You can't enchant a suit of armour to be wreathed in fire the way you could a sword, for instance. Enchanting an item requires energy from a filled soul gem," he explained

"That speech used the word 'enchant' far too many times," I said and lifted the cuirass the Jarl had given me before. "So if I want to learn what the enchantment on this thing actually does, I have to destroy it with the Enchanter, and then I can put that on something else?"

"You can learn enchantment an item has through using it, though weapons are usually pretty obvious," he explained as he took the tunic from me. "Ah yes, I remember enchanting this for the Jarl. Its magic will keep your body from tiring as quickly while running or fighting."

"That's useful, but it doesn't seem like this armour is going to keep me from getting stabbed, and that's more important to me," I said. "Could I take that apart and add it into my armour and still get the benefits of the enchantment?"

"No, that would destroy the enchantment. A particularly able blacksmith can improve and modify enchanted armour, but takes a great deal of skill."

"So getting enchanted armour too battle-damaged will destroy an enchantment, too?" I frowned when he nodded. "That sounds terribly unfair."

"Enchanted weapons need to be charged frequently with soul gems, as well. Each time you strike an enemy it weakens the magic slightly."

The whole thing was starting to sound like more trouble than it would end up being worth, but then I also thought of the money I could make from forging weapons and armour, enchanting them and selling them to traders. It suddenly occurred that if I could learn to forge jewellery, I'd be able to make even more money that way. Whatever sense of greed I had quickly ran away with that idea.

"Alright, so how do I learn an enchantment?" I asked and stood next to him at the table.

* * *

><p>Several hours later I was walking out of the study with a small amulet enchanted in the same way as the armour had been. The effect was minor due to my lack of skill and the rather petty soul gem I had been supplied, but it was a start. With some time and practice I figured I could only get better. Farengar had even seen fit to show me the difference between an empty soul gem and a filled one and how to tell how powerful the soul locked inside was.<p>

When I left the study I found the main hall completely changed. What looked like dozens of people were bustling around, chatting animatedly amongst themselves. "How did I miss this happening?" I muttered to myself and looked among the people. The vast majority were humans, but there was the odd Bosmer or Dunmer among them, too. I noticed a distinct lack of any others, though. Even Altmer and Orsimer were absent.

Movement to my side caught my attention and I turned to see a number of servants bringing out an assortment of food to the tables. There were roast meats, cooked vegetables and baked breads of all description. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable that I'd be the centre of attention in such an event.

"Ah! Our man of honour emerges from his studies," the Jarl called out as he caught sight of me. There was that word again. I inwardly cringed at the thought of constantly being hailed for my honour.

"This was set up pretty quickly," I noted as I ascended the dais of his throne. "Who are all these people?"

"Citizens of Whiterun. News of your appointment as Thane has spread quickly. They have come here to show you their respect," he explained.

I looked out across the veritable sea of faces. "Did anyone tell them that I'm, well, an Argonian?" I asked and looked back at the Jarl. "Some small part of me has a sneaking suspicion it might colour their opinion of me."

"Nonsense! Your race has no bearing on your deeds," he assured me.

"I wish all humans looked at it that way," I mumbled under my breath. "So when are we actually going to go through with this ceremony?"

"Whenever Irileth returns with your housecarl."

"She still hasn't come back yet?" I was surprised. "How long can it take to pick out someone for, uh...whatever job they do?"

He gave me a look that told me he wasn't impressed with my ignorance of the position. "It's very important that we find the right candidate for the position," he said levelly. "Whoever she picks will be sworn to your service for life."

"That certainly sounds...permanent," I chuckled. "What if we don't get along?"

"You will learn to," I could tell by his voice that we wouldn't have been the first pair not to see eye-to-eye. "Here they come now."

I looked to the door to see Irileth enter with a Nord woman dressed in full steel armour. I was somewhat surprised that it had been a female that was chosen for me. Not out of any doubt as to her capabilities as a warrior, but because it seemed...odd to assign a female servant to a male. I then thought that perhaps that my race made them assume it wouldn't be any kind of issue.

Even despite her armour I could tell she was fit and strong, if half a head shorter than me. Nonetheless she was quite attractive and in spite of her athletic build she had very soft features. When her eyes landed on me, though, I could tell the attraction was entirely one-sided. Not that I minded or found it at all unexpected. My own deviations didn't fool me into thinking that everyone I met would be the same.

"My lord, I present Lydia as my selection for the new Thane's housecarl," the Dunmer said with a respectful bow.

"A fine decision, Irileth. Lydia, do you accept your position?" he asked the woman.

"Of course, my lord," the newcomer mimicked Irileth's bow, though I noted a tenseness to her body and hesitation in her voice.

"Kailev-Tel, do you accept Lydia as your housecarl?" he asked me.

"Yeah, I guess," I replied with a shrug. "I mean, I don't really know what proper protocol is here, so I'll just do whatever you say I should." I caught Lydia's sneer out of the corner of my eye, but held my tongue in check. There would be time to set some ground rules later.

Balgruuf nodded understandingly and stood from his throne. As if on cue the entire hall was hushed in mere moments, food back on plates and drinks set aside. "Citizens of Whiterun, it is with great pride that I grant this young man a place in my court," he called out across the hall. Even before he gave me the order to, I had drifted down to one knee before him. I had played witness to a few ceremonies like this in Cyrodiil and figured they couldn't be too much different. He drew his sword from its sheathe and I bowed my head respectfully. Or at least so it looked like it. "By my power as Jarl, I grant you, Kailev-Tel, the title of Thane of Whiterun. May you bear it for many years to come," he spoke as his sword dropped to each of my shoulders.

A voice in the back of my head reminded me that this was for life. Still, I hoped there there was no hidden rule saying that I had to stay in Whiterun for the rest of my existence. "Thank you, my lord," I replied simply and stood back to my feet. Applause rolled through the crowd like a wave, though I couldn't tell if it was genuine or simply acted.

He smiled and handed me a metal badge depicting the emblem of Whiterun fixed to a fabric band. "Wear this device proudly as your badge of office. And if anyone in the hold gives you any trouble, I'm sure they'll be all too happy to change their minds after seeing it," he whispered the last part quietly to me.

"Thank you, my lord," I repeated as I took the heraldry. It was weighty, but I doubted it would be a problem once fixed to my upper arm or armour. I turned around and faced myself with the prospect of meeting the various important people of Whiterun. "Oh joy of joys..."

* * *

><p>It couldn't have been more than two hours later that I escaped with my pack of supplies. The celebration was still buzzing behind me as I jogged my way down the stone steps of the keep. I had even managed to dodge out on my housecarl and a quick glance over my shoulder told me she wouldn't be finding me wherever I was headed. Or at least not without earning it.<p>

My search for shelter and a place to sleep eventually led me to an inn called The Bannered Mare. It was a quaint little place, for a city the size of Whiterun's, and I assumed that there would be a much larger inn up higher in the city.

"Come on in!" a middle-aged woman called from behind a counter inside as I opened the door. "Take a seat and get the cold out. I just stoked the fire."

"Sounds like a decent idea," I chuckled and closed the door behind me.

The woman smiled at me as I made my way over to the counter and sat down on a stool. "I'm Hulda, and this is my inn," she introduced herself. "Usually we're a bit more lively than this, but with the celebration going on up at Dragonsreach..."

The place was nearly empty, with only a Redguard who looked to be busy cleaning up and a pair of humans at a table in a corner. The male of the two looked to be a Nord, judging by his general build and blond hair, while the narrow features of the woman suggested she was an Imperial. On closer inspection, it seemed that the woman cared little for the other's company, if her scowl was any indication.

"Would you like something to eat or drink?" Hulda broke me out of my thoughts.

"Some venison and mead would be fantastic, actually," I smiled somewhat sheepishly. A hand drifted down to rest on a stomach that was making its hunger very well known. I had barely eaten at the celebration earlier due to the fact that I had been forced to talk to what felt like an endless stream of people all looking to pay lip service to the Jarl and his new Thane.

"Saadia! Get some venison for our guest!" the woman called to the Redguard. She called back in response and set about cooking my food. A tankard of sweet smelling mead was set down in front of me and I immediately took a grateful swig of it.

"Leave me alone!" A harsh tone caught my attention and I looked over at the pair in the corner to see the man with a smug expression and the woman with one of simple anger. I heard Hulda mumble something under her breath but couldn't make out the words. Her voice told me all I needed to know, though.

"Happen often?" I asked, still keeping my eyes on the pair.

"Unfortunately," Hulda muttered back.

"Then maybe someone needs to go teach that man about the concept of manners," I chuckled, swallowed the last of my mead and stood from my stool. I'm sure Hulda was going to tell me not to get involved, but I was already at their table within a heartbeat. "Hey, not to intrude on other people's business, but something tells me that the lady doesn't want to be bothered," I stood over the man with my arms folded slackly across my chest.

He stood up to face me and actually managed to stare back at me at eye level. "It's rude to put your nose into places it doesn't belong, lizard," his voice was surprisingly even.

"It's also rude to keep pushing yourself on a woman who's clearly not interested," I pointed out helpfully.

"Ha! Carlotta's already mine, even if she isn't ready to admit it yet."

"She isn't yours or we wouldn't be having this discussion."

"Sounds like a bit of jealousy to me."

I actually snorted. "Right. I'm jealous of a man who can't even figure out when he's being rejected. That's what all this is about. So glad we cleared that up."

He didn't seem to appreciate that comment, if his narrowed eyes were any indication. "I don't think I like your tone."

"I don't think I like you trying to force yourself on someone who wants nothing to do with you," I shrugged. "So how about this: either you can fuck off, or I can make you spit out a couple teeth."

I knew by the smirk he shot the woman that he was going to throw a punch, so when it connected across my jaw I wasn't surprised or particularly fazed. It didn't have nearly the impact that a dragon's tail or a bear's paw across my head did.

His face twisted into a mixture of surprise and pain when a right hook slammed into his ribs. I followed the attack with a rather vicious headbutt that sent him stumbling back against the wall. Blood seeped from the small wounds the horns over my eyes had made on his forehead. A hard cross to his jaw nearly dropped him on the spot but I kept him from falling by grabbing his shirt and throwing him bodily towards the door.

"And if that wasn't incentive enough, I'd be more than happy to do worse next time," I called as he stumbled out the door. I turned my head to face the woman. "Sorry about interfering. It just didn't seem right to let him continue making an ass of himself."

She actually laughed, the first sound I'd heard her make since I had arrived at her table. "I think that's about all that would've gotten through his thick skull, anyways. He's been after me for weeks. It's about time someone finally put a stop to it."

"It was my pleasure," I said with a smile before looking to Hulda with an embarrassed expression. "Sorry about the violence and whatnot in your establishment."

She shrugged unconcernedly. "It's not like it offended anyone or damaged anything, and Mikael had it coming. Now maybe he'll think twice about bothering someone who wants to be left alone."

"One can only hope," I chuckled quietly and took a seat across from Carlotta. "I'd hate for him to come right back and bother this pretty young woman after I've left town."

She smiled at me and extended her hand across the table. "Carlotta," she introduced herself properly.

"So I've heard," I gave her hand a quick shake. "Kai, if you feel that it matters."

"I don't think I've ever had an Argonian call me 'pretty' before," she said with some amusement.

"Ever had an Argonian call you ugly?" I asked with a quirked brow.

"No..."

"Then you're doing better than me. I've never had an Argonian call me pretty," I smirked as a plate of roast venison and a new tankard of mead were set before me. "Ah! Lovely."

We sat in silence, though I was somewhat perturbed by the way she watched me eat. She simply sipped at a cup of what I assumed by the smell to be wine. "Do you compliment humans often?" she finally asked and actually managed to startle me.

"Only the attractive ones," I shrugged. "I'm actually a disgusting deviant among my people. It's why I was banished from Black Marsh," I deadpanned.

She laughed quietly. "You were banished?" her tone showed her disbelief.

"Well, no, but it makes for an interesting story, doesn't it?" I admitted with a smirk as I finished my food. The food, mead and fire all spread a comfortable warmth through my body.

We lapsed into another length of silence as we quietly enjoyed our respective drinks. I noticed that as time wore on she began to drink her wine faster and faster. "Did you hear about the celebration up at Dragonsreach?" she broke the silence again.

Before I could answer the door burst open to reveal a very flustered Nord woman in steel armour. "Thane!" Lydia shouted as she caught sight of me.

I threw my hands into the air. "And my attempts at being incognito fly out the window," I groused aloud. "Or out the door, in this case. And close that thing; you're letting the heat out and I happen to be enjoying it."

She quickly shut the door behind her and fixed me with a disapproving stare. "You left your own appointment ceremony," she seemed content to point out the obvious.

"Of course I did. It was boring," I replied matter-of-factly. "I would've liked to stay and eat something but no one would leave me alone long enough for me to take a bite of anything."

"You're the new Thane?" Carlotta finally spoke up.

"Apparently."

"So then you're the one who killed the dragon," the part of me that liked to be inconspicuous didn't like the awe in her voice.

"I had a hand in it," I shifted uncomfortably under my rather worn armour. I would really have to repair it, I thought.

"From what I hear, he's also the Dragonborn," Lydia pointed out.

I shot her a glare. "Could you not go bragging for me? I rather like the idea of people not knowing everything about me."

"Consider it your punishment for leaving the celebration," my housecarl smirked at me.

"Oh, so that's the kind of relationship we're going to have," I groaned. "And here I was hoping it'd be nothing but sunshine and rainbows. Do me a huge favour, miss housecarl, and go back to the keep or castle or whatever it is and tell the Jarl I went to an inn to get some sleep. You can come find me in the market or something tomorrow when I'm looking for work."

"If that is your wish, my Thane," Lydia sounded less than happy with the order but obediently left regardless.

I turned in my chair to face Hulda. "How much for a room?" I asked.

Carlotta interjected before the other woman could respond. "It would be my honour to have the new Thane of Whiterun take shelter in my house for the night," she suggested with a smile.

I stared at her for a second before responding with a simple "Okay," and turned back to the innkeeper. "So then how much for the food and drink?"

"It's some mead and venison. I'm hardly going to charge a Thane for _that_," she responded with a kind smile much like Carlotta's. "Consider it complimentary."

Before leaving with Carlotta I thought that perhaps being Thane wouldn't be as bad as I thought. It had certainly been beneficial so far, even if I wasn't too interested in having any sort of publicity. I followed the woman through the streets into one of the upper districts of the city as she led me to her house. It was a surprisingly large building and I suddenly doubted very much that she lived on her own.

She put a finger to her smiling lips as she eased the door open. "Try to be quiet. I don't want to wake my daughter."

I nearly tripped over the doorstep at the mention of a daughter. "A daughter, you say," I coughed quietly into my hand. "She wouldn't happen to have a father, would she?"

"He's dead," she said as though she were simply remarking upon the weather. Clearly it had been some time since whatever incident had lead to his death. She lit a pair of candles to give some light to the room and then suddenly turned to face me as I closed the door. "Did you honestly mean what you said back at the inn? That you find me attractive, I mean."

The question caught me rather off-guard. "Of course. I wouldn't have said it, otherwise," I raised a horned eyebrow. It fell and I chuckled quietly. "Why? Did you take me back to your home to have me ravish you?" the question was asked in sarcasm, so her response caused my smirk to falter.

"I'm a grown woman with very real needs," she said. "It has been many years since Mila's father's death, and I have turned away any man in this town who has sought after me." She stepped closer to me until I had to resist the urge to back against the door. "You did not make any attempts, despite your compliments. Perhaps that is why I want you."

"Well, to be fair, I didn't think you'd have any particular interest in me," I laughed quietly and uncomfortably. "I mean, I can't be very good-looking to you." Despite what had happened in Riverwood with Camilla, I still had a rather coloured opinion on what humans and elves had to think when they saw me.

A small, delicate looking hand came to rest on the tunic covering my chest. "Perhaps you aren't the only disgusting deviant in this house at the moment."

I frowned down at her. "Could you not refer to finding me attractive as disgusting deviancy? It kind of ruins my self-esteem. I don't have much of that around humans as it is."

She laughed under her breath, shook her head and looked back up at me with a serious expression. "Do you accept my proposition, or not?" she asked.

"I will if you ask me without making it sound like a business deal," I smirked lightly. "I don't like thinking that this is just so you have some political sway because of a night with a Thane."

Carlotta laughed again, still quiet so as not to disturb her daughter, but her mirth clearly showed. "Do you wish to lay with me?"

I laughed right back. "Good enough," I muttered before leaning down and pressing my lips to hers. Just as it had been with Camilla, each time with kissing was more and more comfortable than the last. I felt her fingers dig into the hardened leather covering my chest as my hands drifted down to land on her waist. My long neck helped compensate for the height difference, but standing just inside the front door was still less than ideal.

She broke away looking a little out of breath. Her cheeks were flushed and she was breathing heavily. "My room is at the top of the stairs," she muttered quickly. "I have a couple things to take care of down here before we...continue."

"Uh...yeah, sure," I mumbled back and made my way awkwardly up the stairs. I wondered faintly if the surreal feeling of kissing a human would ever fade. I hoped not.

In the minute or so it took for her to come upstairs I divested myself of my leather tunic and boots. I couldn't help but shift somewhat nervously when Carlotta caught sight of me. It was still very strange to be in any sort of intimate situation with a human. I noticed distantly that she had put out the candles downstairs, bathing the entire house in inky blackness. A tiny flame spell from my fingertip lit another next to her bed.

"You're a mage, too?" she sounded amused and somewhat impressed.

"I know a couple spells," I shrugged. My muscles began to feel tight and my skin felt hot under her scrutiny as her eyes roved over me.

"You certainly keep yourself in fine shape," she noted cheerily.

I had to look to the side to keep my composure, though that in itself was likely a failure to do so. "I do a lot of walking," I answered lamely. I looked back at her quickly. "Sorry. This is just...a little strange when I actually start to think about it."

"What? An Argonian half-naked in a room with a human?" she laughed quietly.

I shrugged again as she stepped closer until she was almost pressed against me. "Humans aren't known for for their unflinching acceptance of other races."

I was pleasantly surprised when she smiled at my comment. "Well, then I guess it's a good thing not all humans are entirely alike, hm?" her voice was a near whisper. Her arms circled around my neck and part of my mind noticed when her hands shifted around the spines running down my back.

My own hands found their way to her waist again. "Yes, that's certainly something to be thankful for," I muttered before leaning down to kiss her. She immediately gripped my neck and pulled my lips harder against hers. I felt her tongue slip past my lips and hoped she'd be mindful of how sharp my teeth were. I had the presence of mind to open my mouth a bit wider to make sure a slip didn't ruin a perfectly good moment.

A sort of sense of competition willed me to press my tongue back against hers and before long it seemed as though we were having a veritable war inside our mouths as each battled for dominance. When I started to win, though, she seemed to grow discontent with the proposition and quickly pushed me onto my back on the bed. I felt something fabric give way and tear under my head but I couldn't have cared less when Carlotta straddled me and began quite enthusiastically attacking me.

Her lips and teeth danced across my neck and her nails found some enjoyment from scraping down my chest. A low, hissing growl escaped my throat. I didn't recognize the sound and doubted she did either, but judging from how she only seemed to grow wilder with it I doubted she particularly cared.

Some of my senses returned to me when she sat up, slid down my body and made shorter work of the various buckles and straps holding my pants up than I had ever been able to. Within seconds my hard member was pulled from the soft leather constrains and given a few experimental strokes. "Look at what you've been hiding..." she all but cooed. Another hiss slipped through my teeth at the feel of her hand.

Carlotta suddenly seemed very fed up with her own clothing. Her dress was off faster than I had thought possible, followed impossibly quickly by her undergarments. I took the opportunity to similarly remove my pants the rest of the way, though working my tail free took a bit of extra effort in my rush. "Damn, you're fast," I muttered as my eyes flicked across her naked body. Considering she had a child downstairs, I was quite impressed with the state of her body. Apparently she had a few tricks some other women her age could stand to learn.

She smirked at my comment. "You better not be," she growled with a mock threatening tone that actually managed to arouse me further. She gave another hard stroke of my erection and caused a near painful throb to ripple through my body.

When her head ducked down towards it I was gripped with a sense of sudden panic. It didn't occur to me right away that a human's mouth wasn't filled with as many razor-sharp teeth as mine was. "What are you doing?" I muttered as I sat up. When her mouth enveloped me I let myself fall right back down. "Fuck it. I don't care what you're doing as long as you don't stop." I was reminded by her soft, full lips that her mouth was nothing like an Argonian's.

Something akin to a giggle bubbled up from her throat and vibrated around my shaft. I let out something between my earlier hiss and a gasp of pleasure at the sensation. Her tongue pressed along the bottom of my cock with the bobbing of her head. A hand soon joined in on the action and through barely cracked eyelids I saw her other working furiously between her legs.

My insecurities quickly ran off with the wonderment of what she could possibly enjoy about working my member with her mouth and lips. The vast majority of my life I had been raised believing that humans and elves simply found my race repulsive. That a human woman could find me attractive enough to do what she was doing didn't seem like it could be real. A thought briefly flashed in my mind that maybe the soft, pliant scales that covered that part of me weren't too much different from skin.

Despite my thoughts, all too soon I began to feel my end approaching and reached down to halt her. "Not that I'm not loving every second of that, but a man has his limits," I chuckled somewhat nervously. She gave me a look that was amused, aroused and somewhat disappointed all at once. "Hey, it's kind of my first time with...that," I hastily became defensive.

"You've never been with a human before?" she sounded surprised.

I looked away and could swear even the black and red scales of my face lit up with my embarrassment. "Well, yes, but she never did that," I muttered and coughed lightly. I looked back at her as curiosity struck. "Have you ever been with an Argonian before?"

"No," she answered honestly. "But I've always been curious about it, and if I'm going to lay with an Argonian, it should at least be one as attractive as you."

I looked to the side again and found a spot on the wall that was very interesting. "Thanks," I mumbled.

Carlotta said nothing, instead opting to focus my attention by dragging her moist folds across the tip of my erection. My eyes snapped back to her face and found her looking down at me with a lip caught between her teeth. I looked across her body again, though this time my hands rose unbidden to cup her breasts. I gave them a firm squeeze before pinching at her nipples gently and was encouraged as she tossed her head back and let out a low, long moan.

I thrust up into her at the same moment she chose to let herself drop onto me. My hard member was suddenly engulfed in tight, wet heat and I couldn't contain the groaning sibilation that escaped me. We stayed like that for a moment as I revelled in the feel of her sex wrapped tightly around my cock and she seemed to enjoy the sensation of me filling her.

Then in an instant I was all but pounding into her and she was rolling her hips to match my thrusts. I abandoned her breasts to get a firm grip on her waist to help push myself deeper into her welcoming heat. She leaned down to press her lips hard against mine, moaning long and deep into my mouth in an attempt to keep herself quiet. I happily swallowed every elated sound she made.

Her orgasm was sudden and soon. It felt like it had been less than a minute since we had started when she started tightening around me. Her lips left mine to bury between my neck and a pillow where she could quite wantonly scream her pleasure. Still, it wasn't enough to bring me to my own peak.

I rolled us over so that I was on top and for a moment I saw a mixture of fear and utter excitement in Carlotta's eyes before they screwed shut in a pleasured grimace when I began thrusting into her with renewed vigour. She grabbed one of my hands and quite forcefully planted it over her mouth to hold in her continued moaning and screaming. Sharp teeth carefully nipped and scraped at her neck as my other hand returned to its rough work at her breast.

When she came again she dragged me to the peaks of pleasure with her. Her rhythmically tightening muscles drew my own spasms out as though her body was trying to milk me of my seed. I spilled into her with another guttural hiss. My hand slid off her mouth to give her a chance to greedily suck in air.

I flinched slightly as I drew my hypersensitive member from her still-hot sex and tumbled to the bed beside her. My years of travel and fighting had conditioned my body but I still had to heave for breath almost as hard as she did. "I put a hole in your pillow," I mumbled as I caught sight of a neat circular opening a horn had punched into the fabric.

"Good. Then I have a trophy," she joked between pants. "I don't suppose this could be used to grant me any special privileges from our newest Thane?"

"Tell you what," I chuckled and looked over at her with a smirk. "You get bothered by any more jerks at a tavern or inn, you can come talk to your local Thane and he'll gladly straighten the issue out if it means a night like this again."

* * *

><p>AN: So there's a good chance I was originally going to write this chapter up for last weekend, but then I kept changing my mind about what I wanted to happen in it. That and it's amazing how much in life can distract you from writing for free. The sex scene was originally going to be with Jenassa (Dunmer at Drunken Huntsman) as per a request from back at chapter 1 on AFF, but this felt like it fit the story better at the moment. So the Jenassa scene shall have to wait for a later chapter. On another note, I'm trying to get across the sense that Kai is uncomfortable with the idea of other races finding him appealing because it's such an alien concept to him, but I also feel like I might be getting close to overdoing it. Though that might just be me being too critical of my own work because I want it to be the best I can make it and that makes me paranoid. Or just tell me what you think. That should work.


	7. Chapter 7

"I was wondering when you were going to come looking for me," I glanced over my shoulder when Lydia walked up behind me. I was browsing a jewellery stall in the market. I had no real interest in buying any of it, but I appreciated the craftsmanship and had told Lydia that it was where I would be. As much as I didn't necessarily enjoy the thought of having someone follow me around I saw the usefulness in travelling with a companion.

"It isn't even midday, yet," she noted as she looked to the sky.

"I never said it took you a long time. I just said I was wondering when you would," I chuckled and turned to her. "By the way, I hope you aren't expecting me to drop everything to go running off to the Greybeards. I'm going to need some money for a trip like that."

"So long as you do not waste too much time, my Thane," she advised as I walked past her. She fell into step at my flank almost immediately.

"They've been waiting on me for however long, already. A few more days or weeks isn't going to do them any harm," I shrugged. Lydia seemed less than pleased with my response, but didn't push the subject any further. "Besides, I'm going to need money for a trip like that, and that means I'm going to have to do some work around town."

"You have a plan, then?" she asked.

"Actually, I was going to poke my head in at the blacksmith's forge and see about repairing my armour," I nodded. "Or just make a new set. I could always use the practice."

"I didn't think Argonians generally held much skill with metalworking," she said offhandedly. I shot her a disapproving look over my shoulder.

"I'm sure you don't think Argonians hold much skill with much of anything other than working docks," I affected a similar tone.

I saw her tense slightly. "I meant no disrespect, my Thane."

"Of course not," I muttered when we reached the blacksmith's shop. "You just meant that you see my race about the same way as every other human in Tamriel."

Lydia looked like she had something to say to that but held her tongue. The woman from the day before was just walking out of the shop. "Can I help you?" she asked as I approached.

"Maybe. I was wondering if I could use your forge. My armour is in...unfortunate need of repairs," I gestured to the various gashes and frayed bits of leather.

I saw her eyes flick down to the badge displayed on my upper arm and she frowned. "As much as I would like to accommodate the Thane, the Imperial Legion has just filled me with a huge order. I'll be lucky to get any of my customers' equipment made within the week, at this rate."

"Then maybe I could help with that," I offered quickly. "How about I help you fill this order and in exchange I can use your forge whenever you're not busy with it?"

She eyed me warily for a few moments. I supposed that Thane or no, I was still a stranger. "I have to forge a total of about fifty swords and fifty full sets of their armour," she explained after a moment.

I just stuck out my hand with a smirk. "Kai," I introduced myself.

The woman smirked right back and took the proffered hand. "Adrianne," she returned. "Let's see how well you know your way around a forge."

The forge was hot and within an hour I was wishing I could sweat. I was working the metal bars for swords and heating up rivets for the armour while Adrianne cut, treated and shaped the leather into tunics and boots and gauntlets. I was surprised at Lydia's unflinching willingness to help with the work. All it took was a simple order and she obeyed without question. I was somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of someone so utterly devoted to my command, especially considering that she didn't seem to think much of me as an individual beyond the subservience to my position and the disdain for my race. Still, considering our respective positions I figured we'd probably have plenty of time to work things out.

Despite my focus on my work my mind wandered. The feeling of the hot sun overhead and the burning coals at my front reminded me of Riverwood and Camilla's canteen. The thought made me smile as I worked. I briefly wondered how she was and if she was thankful for the soldiers that had been sent to keep the village safe. Part of me even wondered if she had heard about my appointment as Thane before I remembered that it had been less than a day since the ceremony.

I suppose it must have seemed somewhat strange to the two women working with me when I stripped myself of my insulated leather tunic. "What? Blacksmith work is hot and I don't, you know, sweat," I explained simply when I tossed the armour next to the nearby smelter.

I resumed bringing the hammer down on the hot metal held tightly in a set of tongs, though I was distinctly aware of various sets of eyes on me. The survival instinct that helpfully told me when I was being watched made my spine tingle with tension. I had to mentally remind myself that I was under no threat of attack. People were just looking at me strangely because it wasn't often they saw a shirtless Argonian pounding white-hot metal.

My mind once more wandered to memories of Camilla's stares at my unclothed body and I couldn't have stopped the smirk splitting my lips if I had tried. I also thought of Carlotta's appreciation of my body the night before. Perhaps being physically fit was attractive, regardless of race. I thought briefly on my body in a rare moment of narcissism, of the hard muscles cutting sharp lines through black and grey scales. I wondered for the shortest of moments if I looked a little like granite at times. The colour of my scales was almost right for it.

"You look a little worn out," Adrianne's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Perhaps you should work on the leather for a while and I'll take over on the swords?"

My arm was beginning to grow tired from the constant pounding and my hand had long since gone numb, but male pride didn't allow me to actually admit any of it. I just smiled sheepishly. "Sure. You can probably make a better sword than me, anyway," I placed the piece of metal I was about to start working back into the forge.

"Your swords are good," she nodded approvingly. "Though you're putting a bit too much time and work into them for what we're doing. With an order this large the Legion won't be expecting masterworks, especially not with what they're paying me for it. They just want weapons and armour as quickly as possible."

Her words caught me a little unawares. It seemed a bizarre concept that there could be too much time and effort put into one's work, but I understood her intention. Too much time on the arms and armour and they wouldn't be done in any kind of reasonable time. It didn't take a masterpiece of a sword to kill someone, either. All it took was a piece of iron with a bit of an edge.

"Lydia, could you work on sharpening the swords I've made so far while I work on this armour?" I tried to sound affable. She obeyed without hesitation and within moments the sound of stone grinding metal mixed with the pounding of hot iron.

I set to work on stitching the sheets and strips of leather into various pieces of armour. I didn't know exactly what size they should be and simply guessed that most of the soldiers would be about my size. They'd also probably be mostly human which certainly made things easier. It would have been quite the task to craft fifty hardened leather tunics for Argonians. No two had spines and horns in exactly the same place. I had long since learned that buying armour ended up being a costly process for the extra labour involved in making it fit our more complex forms. Well, it was either that or simply deal with the discomfort of constantly having my spines pressed into my back and neck. The tail, at least, simply took a small slit in the back of a pair of pants to accommodate it.

The armour was surprisingly easy and quick to make. Adrianne already had the leather prepared for it, so all that was required was a lot of sewing. Nearly another hour passed by the time I took over at the forge again to give the blacksmith a rest, and by then almost all the tunics had been stitched and fixed with rivets. Adrianne had made surprisingly short work of the swords, as well. Only another ten needed to be forged by the time she had me take her place. "How long have you been a blacksmith for?" she asked as she surveyed my work.

"I started learning a few days ago," I admitted with an embarrassed chuckle. "A man in Riverwood named Alvor taught me the basics. Nothing too fancy, but certainly enough to get started."

"You have a gift for it," she gave me a kind smile as she set to work finishing the last few tunics. "I know Alvor. He's a good man, and a fine smith. You found a good teacher in him." She gave me a quizzical look. "He has a nephew in the Legion, does he not?"

"Yeah, he does," I nodded, keeping my eyes on the metal in my hands. "We actually helped each other escape Helgen. I think he went back to Solitude after a couple days in Riverwood." A frown bent my lips as I thought about Hadvar. "I hope he's doing okay. So far my time in Skyrim has been...less than hospitable."

"From what I've heard you have a knack for getting yourself into trouble, my Thane," Lydia quipped as she worked on making sheathes for the sword.

"You have no idea," I laughed openly. "Honestly, I'm shocked I've never been arrested," I said and looked over at her in time to see the man from the inn the night before striding towards me with a pair of guards. "Oh, I did not just do that to myself..."

"That's him! That's the...beast that attacked me!" he shouted far louder than I would have liked. The marks on his forehead were scabbed and looked a lot worse in the daylight than they had at the inn and I had to suppress a smirk. His cheek was discoloured and swollen, as well. Overall I was almost as pleased with my work on him as I had been with my swords all day.

I sighed, tossed the hot piece of metal I was working on into the water bath next to me and strode over to meet the trio. "Is this true?" one of the guards asked.

I folded my arms across my chest and saw with a great deal of delight how all of their eyes flicked to the Thane's badge at my arm. I was suddenly very grateful that I had left it on. "Not exactly. I mean, I didn't attack him. He threw the first punch, actually. I just happened to throw the last. He was making an ass of himself and trying to force himself on a very kind young woman," I explained with a shrug.

"You don't say," the guards immediately turned on the man. "Are you trying to slander the Thane, Mikael? That's a punishable offence."

The troublemaker instantly paled. "But I...he..." he stammered piteously.

Now I openly smirked at his situation. Nonetheless, he was pathetic enough to warrant my pity. "Go easy on him. No harm, no foul, right?" I stepped in. "I'm sure he's learned his lesson and he'll think before speaking from now on. Right, Mikael?"

"Right!" he instantly jumped on what he saw as an opportunity to get himself out of trouble.

"If that is your wish, my lord," one of the guard's saluted me before they both walked away.

I caught Mikael's arm as he tried to make his own getaway and spun him around to face me. He found himself staring into a pair of angry eyes over a snarling mouth filled with razor sharp teeth and couldn't do much to look away for the fist gripping the collar of his shirt. "If you ever try to pull something like this again, you little shit, I swear to Akatosh I'll put you in the fucking ground," I growled low in my throat. "Now get out of here," I barked and all but threw him away.

I turned to my two companions with an amused smile on my face. "I'm pretty sure I just made that guy piss himself," I laughed. The fact that I stood half a head taller probably helped.

"So nice to see the new Thane bullying his subjects into submission," Lydia remarked. "Although with Mikael there's a good chance that it's actually a public service."

"I knew we'd get on swimmingly," I laughed as I walked by. "And here I was thinking you'd be one of the people who hates the fact that an Argonian was given a place of authority."

"I'm sure someone like my father would have something to say about it," she shrugged. "But I am your housecarl. I am sworn to serve you until death. I don't see how racial prejudices would make that a more enjoyable experience."

I smirked as I started pounding the last piece of metal I needed to work into a blade. "What a practical attitude," I chuckled. "So glad I got you as a housecarl and not some self-righteous jackass. I seem to meet a lot of those."

After only a couple minutes the last sword was forged and cooling in the water bath. Lydia was finishing up her last scabbard and Adrianne had worked through what had remained of the armour with amazing speed. She was clearly a much more talented blacksmith than she really let on.

"I can't thank you enough for your help," she smiled at me as I donned my armour. "Without your help it would've taken days to get that order finished. I'll be glad to get Idolaf Battle-Born off my back."

"No need to thank me," I waved her off. "So long as I can use the forge when I need to that's good enough for me."

"Of course," she nodded. "So long as I'm not too busy, you can use anything in my workshop whenever you want." She paused for a moment before gesturing to the armour I'd just put back on. "If you'd like, I could fix your armour, too. You helped me a lot and use of my forge doesn't seem like a good enough payment."

"I just put this back on..." I affected a mock hurt tone. "And I was going to try to improve on it. I scraped up some chainmail from a few of the dead guards at the watchtower and I was going to work it into my armour somehow."

"You took armour from the dead?" Lydia fixed me with a disapproving look.

"Why not? It wasn't doing them very much good anymore," I shrugged. "Besides, the individual suits were too damaged to be worth much. I was going to take the good pieces from each one and fix them over my leathers. I don't care if I look like some freaky patchwork mess."

"Give me the armour and whatever extra pieces you have and I'll see what I can do," Adrianne offered. "Come by tomorrow. I should be able to have it done by then."

"Okay. Just let me go find somewhere to get some spare clothes. I don't much feel like wandering around town naked. Seems like it might get kind of chilly."

* * *

><p>AN: I hate this chapter. It's short and pointless and...ugh. That said, it's been rewritten way too many times and if I don't post something I'll just end up scrapping the whole chapter and starting from scratch and that's going to go horribly awry. So you all have my apologies for this pointless mess. Depending on the next chapter it might just get deleted and simply given some kind of exposition, but I don't like doing that. Show, don't tell, right? I'd rather show how Kai gets to be a good smith rather than suddenly have him be a master of a skill he had never even attempted at the start of the story. Plus it shows him meeting other influential figures of Whiterun and yes, I'm just making up excuses. The next chapter will be set a few days after this one. That one I do have a solid idea of what will happen. Expect blood. That is all. If you hate this chapter as much as I do, feel free to tell me. I probably deserve it.


	8. Chapter 8

"This is a horrible idea," Lydia muttered quietly from her spot beside me.

"No, attacking it up close with my sword would be a horrible idea. I'm shooting it with an arrow or two. This is merely a bad idea," I chuckled as I tested the draw of my bow.

The last few days in Whiterun had been boring, to say the least. Most of my time was spent either working on new equipment or looking for work. I finally found a job with a young woman named Ysolda. I had barely caught any specifics besides the fact that she needed a mammoth tusk. I hadn't the slightest idea how to acquire one but I was desperate for work and I learned very quickly that I'm willing to do immensely stupid things for a pretty face.

"Do you even know how to use that thing?" my housecarl gestured to the bow in my hands.

"Of course. I've had to hunt for food during my travels since leaving Black Marsh. Besides, Aela gave me a few good pointers. We'll be fine," I waved her off and notched an arrow.

We were at the top of a small hill barely northwest of Whiterun overlooking what amounted to a small camp populated by a pair of giants and three mammoths. I didn't know exactly how effective my untested bow would be against something like a giant but I figured that if Aela had ventured taking one on with a bow then it had to at least be possible. I also made sure not to think too much on how accurate Lydia was at declaring this a horrible idea. I had a job to do and I was determined to see it through.

A sharp whistle tore through the air as I let my arrow fly. It soared in a long arc across the open span of plain and found its mark in my target's shoulder with a "thock" sound. "Holy shit. I actually hit it," I laughed.

"Unfortunately, my Thane, it doesn't seem to have done much," I heard Lydia tense up beside me.

I looked back at my quarry to see it staring right at us. "What are you talking about? It clearly pissed that thing off _a lot_," I had to laugh at my own foolishness. "And it sees us. So what do you say we, uh...run?"

Personally, I was amazed at how quickly we could run across the rolling terrain in our respective armour. My leather armour, now fitted with chain mail and rivets and given a refreshed under layer of wool and fur, was significantly heavier than it had been before Adrianne had worked on it, and Lydia was wearing nearly full steel plate mail. We were both lacking helmets, which at the time was probably a good thing. "Piece of shit! I am never using a bow again!" I shouted as I tossed aside the offending wood and string and unlatched the quiver hanging on my back. "Hey, look! It's a cave, or a mine, or something!"

"It's a bandit camp!" Lydia shouted back.

"Good! Bandits are easier to deal with than giants."

I chanced a look over my shoulder and paled at how quickly the pair of giants had caught up with us. They were, at most, fifteen or twenty paces behind, and considering how much long their strides were than ours that wasn't very much room to work with. I focused on what I had learned from the spell book I had been reading for the past few days and summoned a spell of ice to my hand. I let a torrent of frozen air out behind me as I ran, creating an ice slick on the ground. I was surprised to see my plan actually work when one of the giants slipped on it and slammed unceremoniously to the ground. I was even more surprised when the second stopped to help its comrade to its feet.

The distraction proved enough for us to beat the giants to the mine, even if it was only by a few seconds. There was a pair of guards standing out front dressed in a patchwork of leather armour. They were obvious bandits and I had little time to deal with them. Still, a quick bit of thinking on my part provided me with another idea.

"Who the fuck are you?" one of the bandits snarled at me as I literally came running up to him.

"No one important. Can you do me a huge favour? Distract him!" I spat out hastily as I grabbed him by the shoulders, spun and all but threw him towards an oncoming giant.

He barely had time to scream before the beast's massive club sent him soaring to the side with a sickening crunch. "That didn't work half as well as I'd hoped it might," I muttered. "Lydia! Hole! Now!" I shouted when I saw her glance at the second bandit.

He never even had time to get a warning shout off before I had hit him with a short burst of lightning magic. It was only enough to stun him, but that seemed sufficient to distract the giants with another kill while Lydia and I ducked inside the mine.

We both collapsed against a wall inside, gasping for breath. "Hey, Lydia," I chuckled weakly. "I think that might have been a horrible idea."

If looks could kill I probably would have burst into flame from the glare she sent my way. I was absolutely sure she was going to stab me and she might have if not for a voice from further inside the mine. "The fuck's all that noise?" someone called out.

Lydia and I ducked down behind a broken mining cart and watched as another bandit came striding up the slight incline inside the mouth of the mine. I slid my dagger from its sheath nearly silently and waited until he had just walked past us before clicking my tongue. He spun around and gave me a chance to cover his mouth with my free hand and slam him against the rock wall. I slit his throat with a clean slice before stabbing my dagger up to the hilt into his forehead. I gave the blade a hard push upwards for good measure, cutting a gaping hole into the bandit's skull.

"Gods dammit, he's _leaking_ all over me," I groused as blood began to pour from his neck and head onto my armour. I pulled the dagger from his skull and hefted his limp body into the empty cart. I had to suppress a chuckle at the comical way his limp legs dangled over the side of the cart. "And now I look like I just killed somebody," I muttered, looking down at the blood covering my chest and hands.

"You did just kill somebody," Lydia remarked with a frown.

"Yeah, but I don't want to look it. Women tend to not like guys covered in blood, and if they do they're the ones you want to avoid," I laughed quietly and sheathed my blade.

"So glad to see you keeping yourself focused on what's important," she said with a roll of her eyes. "What was your plan, anyway? Just hide in here until the giants give up and leave?"

"Plan?" I gave her a quizzical look. "I didn't have one. That's a pretty good one, though. And now that we're here, we may as well take a look around, right? Who knows how much money these bandits have stored away in here."

"There are going to be more of them. Maybe more than we can handle," she frowned at me. "The Whiterun guard has often had trouble with the bandits making camp in this old mine."

"Then clearing it out sounds like paying work," my smirk widened into a full grin. I noticed some unrecognizable shift in her countenance at the way my lips pulled back and thought that she might not yet be comfortable with the Argonian equivalents of human facial expressions. The possibility might exist that what was a grin for me was just the baring of a great many razor sharp teeth to her. My lips closed together as a wave of insecurity I didn't quite know the source of hit me.

"How do you intend to clear out an entire nest of bandits with just the two of us?" she, thankfully, seemed ignorant of my sudden shift in mood.

"From my experience most bandits aren't particularly good in a straight fight," I shrugged and started walking deeper into the mind. Despite her protests, Lydia followed obediently. I made sure to leave my pack next to the dead man containing cart. I didn't want it getting in the way in case there really were more bandits further in. "They tend to rely on intimidating people who aren't really capable of defending themselves." I shot her a fresh smirk over my shoulder. "And we're hardly a pair of stupid kids having fun exploring a mine. We're a pair of capable adults having fun exploring a mine."

"I think our definitions of fun are quite different, my Thane," Lydia sighed and drew her sword.

"It'll be all kinds of fun," I assured her as I followed suit. I frowned at the lack of a second blade. I hadn't been able to get the materials needed for forging a new sword before I had spent what money I had on the bow that was now lying in a giant's footprint outside. In retrospect, throwing it away in a rage probably hadn't been an idea wrought with foresight but that hardly mattered now.

The tunnel we were in didn't go particularly deep. It wasn't long before we were face-to-face with what amounted to a wall of veins of iron ore. I let out a low whistle. "This had to have been a pretty valuable mine when it was still operating," I ran the tips of my fingers along a thick streak of iron.

"It has been a common hideaway for bandits and marauders for many years now," Lydia explained. "Truth be told, I don't remember it ever actually being an open mine. But you are right about its worth."

"Maybe we'll get a decent reward for clearing this place out, after all. The Jarl would have to be pretty happy about having such a supply of iron so close," I turned to the gate barring our way to a small tunnel leading much further down.

Lydia tested it and confirmed my suspicion about it being locked. "Can you pick it?" I asked. My housecarl frowned and shook her head. "Then I guess it's a good thing I can, eh?" I laughed at her unimpressed expression.

The lock was a simple one and easy to flick open. Unfortunately the noise of the gate creaking open echoed down the tunnel and attracted some unwanted attention from down below. "Sagr, that you?" a female voice called up. I could hear the light clinking sound of iron armour as the bandit made her way up the incline.

"Uh...yeah, it is," I called back and earned a look from Lydia that couldn't even be described as incredulous. She looked as though she was confused at just how unbelievable actually answering back was. I simply chuckled and shrugged in a way that I hoped got the "I found it funny" idea across.

The woman stopped less than ten feet away from me when we finally came into view of each other in the dim light. "Who the fuck are you?"

"You know, you're the second person today to ask me that," I said before darting towards her and tackling her to the ground. We tumbled most of the way down the slope and I felt fortunate when I ended up on top. I felt much less fortunate at the ungodly racket her armour made in the confined space on the way down.

I sat up quickly so that I had her stomach pinned between my legs. For the briefest of moments I noticed that our position was close to being downright intimate. Then I ruined the moment by lifting her head off the ground by her hair and slamming it down several times into a rock beneath. Blood splattered across the dirt from what was likely a nasty wound on the back of her skull. She didn't have a chance to suffer long, though, before my dagger was drawn and being stabbed repeatedly into her throat.

"Gren?" a man now standing in the doorway at the bottom of the tunnel caught my attention.

"She had a bit of a fall. Nothing to worry about," I said casually as I looked up at the brute of a man. He took up most of the doorway and was clad in the standard mishmash of pieces of rust-spotted iron I had come to associate with bandits. Still, if I wasn't smart about this the huge axe he had in one hand wouldn't have much trouble in making me a lot shorter.

Lydia came sliding to a stop next to me just as the man looked ready to come charging at us. "Doesn't seem like the odds are in your favour," I taunted him.

"You're right," he chuckled darkly and stepped back into the doorway. In his place stepped a pair of archers, arrows already notched and aimed at us.

"Oh shit," I breathed as I ducked down, grabbed the body of their fallen comrade and lifted it. I felt as well as heard the arrows strike its other side.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Lydia start to make her way forward. Her shield was raised and her sword was flush against its edge. She had clearly been trained well in how to fight when the odds were stacked against her.

I walked right along with her, the body in my hands making an even better shield than her actual one. It was also a lot heavier, though, and by the time we reached the doorway I felt as though it was going to slip from my grasp any moment.

Lydia was first into the large chamber on the other side of the door and immediately set upon the archers. I, on the other hand, was knocked to my back the moment I entered. I looked past the corpse laying atop me to see the shaft of the giant man's axe. He lifted it, taking the body off with it and giving me a proper chance to strike.

He looked surprised as much as pained when my tail snapped up to catch him in the groin. My heel almost simultaneously slammed into the inside of his knee. His leg gave out and he dropped to his knee, his grip on the axe faltering. Instinct won out over rational thought and rather than drawing my dagger or unleashing some spell on him I simply grabbed the nearest rock I could find and struck him in the side of the skull with a wet crack. I jumped atop him as he fell over and rained several more skull-shattering blows with the rock until it actually broke apart in my hand. By then, though, his head was little more than a red smear on the ground.

"Thane!" I heard Lydia call out and recognized an edge of panic to her tone. I looked over to see her pinned in a corner by two people, each wielding a sword. Likely all that was keeping her alive was her superior skill and shield, but I knew that even that wouldn't last forever. I also saw that one of the archers from before was dead on the ground and the other one was aiming at me.

An arrow thudded into my shoulder and I instinctively rolled with the force of the blow. I was at first concerned by the lack of pain but when I looked down I realized that the chain link of my armour had actually deflected the blow. "Damn, that woman's good," I muttered under my breath as I pushed myself to my feet.

The archer was just notching another arrow when the flames bursting from my palms engulfed her. An ear-piercing scream telling of pure panic and horror resounded in the cavernous room. Her bow hit the ground, not that it was much good anymore. The string was burnt off and the wood itself was alight with flame. She likely thought that the now flaming leather armour she was wearing was more problematic, though.

The distraction was enough for me to draw my sword and close the distance between myself and my housecarl. One of the bandits barely turned around in time to catch my blade against his. I twisted it around until I had my sword inside of his guard and severed his wrist with a sharp flick. His hand was still holding his blade when it hit the ground. His scream of pain joined his companion's, though it was cut short when my sword swept across his knee. The way his leg suddenly collapsed told me I had succeeded in slicing his hamgstring.

It was probably instinct that made him attempt to dodge the blade coming down at his neck, but all that did was caused me to carve into his should and nearly hack off the arm entirely. On my second swing I aimed higher and just cleft his head in two across the bridge of his nose. I was surprised by how little blood the injury spilled.

I looked up to see Lydia driving her sword through her grounded opponent's neck in an almost theatrical way. I personally had no use for being fancy in a fight, but I had to admit that it was visually enjoyable to watch. The screaming archer finally collapsed to the dirt. I had a suspicion that she had died more of lack of air from the fire than the actual burns but didn't dwell on it. The flames continued to burn at her flesh, regardless.

"See? I told you we could handle it," I grinned at my compatriot, my earlier insecurity over the action long forgotten.

"You are quite...brutal in a fight," she frowned as she wiped the blood from her blade on the corpse of her kill.

"I just like to make sure they're dead. I know no one's going to get up when I beat their head against a rock and then stab them in the neck three times," I shrugged nonchalantly. "Now then, how about we take a look around? A bandit outfit this big has to have scraped up something valuable."

* * *

><p>"There are over five hundred septims here, on top of the jewellery and equipment," Lydia sounded either incredulous or pleased. Or possibly both.<p>

I looked up from the spell book I was reading while she counted our haul. I had never taken much interest in alteration magic, but if what this spell described actually worked I might have to change my opinion. "If this spell works out, that won't be the only money we've made," I struggled to contain my excitement as I picked up a piece of iron ore from the table before me.

The spell was taxing to conjure forth and difficult to remain focused on. It was a completely different form of magic than anything I had attempted to use before. After several moments of concentration, though, I found myself with a set of glowing green cubes in my palm. They swirled around each other, one sometimes absorbing another only for the now larger one to fracture back into two. I pressed the spell in my palm into the iron ore in my other. The magic seeped into the rock and lit it up with a faint green glow.

When the glow receded it left behind a gleaming chunk of silver ore. I let myself grin like a fool quite freely. Lydia simply sat staring at me. "You just turned iron into silver," she said simply. Her tone was surprisingly flat and I was slightly offended that she didn't sound a bit more impressed.

"According to this book, a second spell can be used to turn silver into gold, too," I set the shining ore down on the table, marked my page and snapped the book shut. "I haven't quite gotten that far, though, and before I read any more I feel like we should have something to eat. I'm starving."

I pushed myself up from the chair I was sitting in and made my way up the steep slope to the entrance tunnel, making sure not to slip in the pool of blood from my earlier kill. Lydia and I had dumped the bodies of the bandits into the entrance of a collapsed tunnel further back in the mine. Far enough, we hoped, that they wouldn't make much of a stench. We had agreed that it was a good decision to stay put in the mine for the night. After all, with the metal gate at the top of the tunnel and the door at the bottom we had two entrances to lock tightly so neither of us would have to sacrifice sleep on watch. We could just set up some kind of warning bell to ring in case either of them were opened over the course of the night to alert us.

As I passed through the open gate it briefly flitted through my mind that I could have simply ordered Lydia to get my pack, but I had never been someone who liked telling anyone else what to do. If I had done that, though, I wouldn't have had to call back down over what I saw. "Hey Lydia, I have a question," I shouted down the tunnel, leaning my shoulder against the metal bars of the gate's frame.

She appeared in the doorway below. "What is it, my Thane?" she asked curiously.

"How did neither of us notice the pile of mammoth tusks sitting in the other mining cart up here?"

"I saw them, but you seemed incredibly determined to jump on top of a woman at the time," she called back. I could hear the smirk she was wearing.

"First time I've ever jumped on a woman and had that much blood by the end, I'll say that," I let the subject of the mammoth tusks drop. I had a feeling whatever battle of wits we got into wouldn't go my way for very long. Using as much magic as I had over the course of the day had left me mentally exhausted. It almost made me want to actually train myself to better use my talent.

When I got to my pack I was reminded of the corpse half-hanging out of a mining cart next to it. The smell of blood inside had the unfortunate chance of attracting something that might be unkind to us later, or at least that would get us up in the middle of the night for no real reason. I didn't like having my sleep needlessly interrupted and decided that the corpse belonged outside.

I opened the door slowly and carefully so I could have a chance to dodge any incoming clubs bigger than my body. It was dark outside; well into dusk, at least. Thankfully, though, the giants appeared to be gone. There were no loud crashes or angry grunts. It was actually quite peaceful now. The air outside was cool but not chilly. It wouldn't have been all that terrible to make a real camp for the night, actually. Sleeping inside a mine where I knew my housecarl and myself would be safe and warm was still far preferable, though.

The bandit's corpse had become covered in its own blood in the time I was down below but it had apparently long-since dried and left the body cold and sticky. The metallic smell hit my nostrils when I lifted it to toss it outside and I suddenly wished to be in water so I could breathe through my gills and avoid smelling much of anything. Or at least so I could wash off all the gore I had managed to cover myself in earlier.

"Okay, here's the new plan," I started when I got back down to the main room. In my absence Lydia had managed to get a decent little fire going under the cooking pot that had been formerly owned by the pack of bandits. "We're going to get some food on to start cooking, find some nearby river or something to get cleaned up, then we can come back here and eat the hopefully not too burnt food."

"We?" she sounded somewhat surprised.

"Yes, we. You've never done any cooking before?" I asked in a disbelieving tone. I had an idea of what she was getting at but decided it would be more entertaining to string her along a little. While I waited for a response I set about throwing together some more or less random odds and ends into a pot filled with clean water. Apparently the bandits had been getting ready to eat when we arrived. I didn't feel bad in the slightest using the vegetables they had already prepared to supplant some of the raw pheasant Alvor's family had given me.

"I meant about the bathing part," she said with no small amount of exasperation. "Besides, shouldn't someone stay here to keep an eye on the food?"

"I'm more worried about someone keeping an eye on my tail so nothing decides to chew it off," I scoffed. "There are wolves and bears and Akatosh knows what else in this damn country. Didn't you swear an oath to make sure something like that didn't happen?"

"I swore an oath to protect you, not to watch you strip down and have a bath."

"True, but this is one of the very rare times when those two are one and the same," I chuckled. "Why, you have a problem with potentially seeing a naked Argonian? I really don't look all that much different under this armour, if you ignore the scales and the tail."

The comment made her tense up and I wondered for a second if I had crossed some bizarre human line. Or maybe she just found me physically repulsive like I assumed most humans did. "If we must do this, then let us be quick. Sorting out all of this money and equipment has left me rather hungry."

"To be fair I gathered most of it. I just got you to count it," I frowned as we started towards the exit.

"I was taking care of the bodies, then. I have a feeling that those weighed more."

"They weighed a lot less after I was done for them. You just need to start hacking them into pieces beforehand like I do. Or maybe we should make a habit of doing it afterwards to make getting rid of them easier."

She mirrored my earlier frown at my comment. "You show a disturbing lack of respect for the dead, my Thane."

"I don't think they care," I gave her a sceptical look. "Besides, imagine how many fewer draugr there would be in Skyrim if all your ancestors had the foresight to chop the bodies into pieces or cremate them, first. A reanimated corpse isn't very useful with no arms or legs."

"I suppose..." she sounded extremely unsure.

"Argonians are pretty practical that way."

"Argonians butcher their dead?"

"Okay, first off, using a word like 'butcher' makes it sound way worse than it really is. Secondly, it's purely out of a sense of practicality. You know what's never, ever been seen in Black Marsh? An undead Argonian," I defended as we stepped outside. "Once a person has died we don't consider any soul that person may have had to have anything to do with the body anymore. The body is just an empty shell. Like a bow without any string." I nearly tripped over the dead body sitting just outside the door and faintly realized the horrible irony of my words.

"That's a terrible metaphor," I saw her roll her eyes at me out of the corner of my own.

"Actually, it's a terrible simile. I don't do metaphors," I said in the most serious tone possible. The look Lydia gave me was priceless and I wished I had some way of capturing it. "Now then, since you're the local expert, where's the nearest waist deep river or pond or something?"

"Since when am I the expert on rivers?" she asked in mocking bewilderment. "I thought I was just going to watch you to make sure you didn't get eaten. I assumed you had already found somewhere you could strip down to your skivvies and wash the dirt and grime from the day away."

I gave her a very unimpressed look. "At the very least tell me you had more foresight than I did and you brought a torch so we could actually find something," I sighed. She very smugly produced a thick piece of wood with an oiled rag wrapped haphazardly around the end that I lit with a quick spell. The brief use of magic took more out of me than I rightly thought it should. Apparently I hadn't had quite enough time to rest since my earlier transmutation.

Despite her unfortunately successful attempt to get under my skin she lead the way to a small river coming down from the mountains. "This river is fed from the snow atop the mountains, so it will probably be a fair bit colder than what you're used to in Black Marsh."

"You've clearly never been to Black Marsh in winter," I chuckled. With no regard for modesty - either my own or Lydia's - I simply stripped my filthy and bloody armour off and laid it out next to the river's edge. Lydia had turned her back to me by the time my tunic was off, though. I wasn't all that concerned by her seeing my naked body. It was bound to happen sooner or later, if we were travelling together. Besides, so far only good things had happened in Skyrim when human women had seen me naked. I saw no reason why the tradition wouldn't be continued with Lydia.

The water was cool but surprisingly comfortable. I ducked my head underneath and grabbed onto a firmly planted rock to make sure I wasn't swept downstream. It felt good to have water running over my gills again. It had been a long time since I had used them and I was getting worried about them getting sick or dry or something equally terrible.

I stood back up, immediately feeling better at having the dried blood washed away. "You should join me. You can't be much cleaner than I am," I called to the woman standing watch. "The water's actually pretty nice, too."

"I thought my reason for being here was so that there would be someone on watch," she responded without turning to face me.

"Yeah, well, I don't feel like sleeping in the same room as someone who smells like sweat and blood. Your Thane is ordering you to get cleaned up."

Lydia turned and gave me a curious and sceptical look. She shrugged after a moment, planted the torch in the ground near my armour and set about removing her own. I don't know whether it was because of her life as a soldier or because of my race that she seemed at ease with stripping down to nothing so readily. I assumed it was the latter. After all, she had no reason to assume I found anything about humans attractive. I had never bothered to tell her about Camilla or Carlotta and any vaguely flirtatious comments had been made flippantly, as though it was simply how I talked to people.

Whatever the case I was hardly going to argue. Her body was fit and clearly strong from her career as a guard and soldier. There were a few scars here and there but she hardly had the plethora of pocks and lines that I did stretching across my body. I was somewhat surprised at just how full her breasts really were. I didn't think that they had looked nearly so large with her armour on.

Before she had a chance to become suspicious of my gaze, though, I ducked back under the water. The feeling of water running across my gills was something I had always loved. For all humans and elves tried to act as though Argonians were inferior I had never seen any breathe underwater without using a spell.

I broke the surface to find that Lydia had cleaned herself up while I was underwater. Droplets fell from her hair and her skin shimmered in the flickering torchlight. I swallowed in a desperate attempt to get moisture back into my mouth. I thought of simply drinking from the river but a very irrational part of my mind reasoned that it would taste like her. With her back to me I looked down to see that my body was working quite hard to respond, despite the cold water surrounding me. "Not now," I hissed to myself.

In an attempt to distract myself I made my way over to the shore and set about cleaning some of the blood and gore from my armour. It was something of a chore to avoid getting the fur underlining wet but at least it kept my focus away from the naked woman bathing nearby. A small part of me regretted insisting that she join me. It wasn't an idea that had been made with a great deal of forethought.

It was only a few scant minutes later that we were redressed and headed back to the mine. Regrettably this did little to scour away the image I had of Lydia's wet and naked body. On the bright side my armour was unforgiving enough that my cock could strain against it all it liked without ever making a noticeable impression. Upon realizing this my stupid male pride decided I should suddenly feel very insecure and that distracted me enough to forget about my admittedly attractive companion for the moment.

"I will admit that it feels good to get cleaned up," Lydia remarked as we entered the mine. I noticed a crossbar on the inside of the door to lock it shut and slid it closed on our way in.

"Told you it was a good idea. You should learn to trust my judgement," I said airily.

"I'd like to remind you that your judgement nearly got us crushed by giants earlier today, my Thane."

"Which, in turn, lead us here. If I hadn't thought to attack those giants we wouldn't have found all these mammoth tusks or the gold or even the spell book."

My housecarl turned a frown at me as I flipped the lock on the gate further inside shut. "You didn't plan for any of that to happen."

"Well, that just goes to show you how bad an idea planning anything is," I returned her frown with a grin.

"There's something horribly perverse about your logic, my Thane," Lydia muttered. I laughed openly at her comment as I checked on our food.

"Perhaps, but it's worked pretty well for the last twenty five or so years of my life so I don't see much reason in changing anything now. In any case this food's probably as good as it's going to get and I'm famished. Put that bowl back; we're eating out of the pot. I don't feel like cleaning anything after we're done."

* * *

><p>AN: You know, I don't hate this chapter. It's taught me a lot. It taught me that I like having Lydia around as Kai's straight man, or at least just someone to point out when he's being a jackass. I was originally going to have some amount of racial tension between them that was going to be resolved but I've since decided that I want to keep this story lighthearted. I also learned from this chapter, though, that I much prefer writing combat with Kai on his own. I like stacking him against three or four people so that he can show that just because he acts like a goofball most of the time doesn't mean he isn't a dangerous, dangerous person. Also, despite whatever hints may have been dropped in this chapter, I have no current plans for anything to happen between him and Lydia. Mostly because the market on that one is completely saturated. If someone makes a specific request for it, fine, I'll write it. Otherwise, there are like, forty other stories out there centred around Lydia and some Dragonborn fucking. I don't see the requirement for another.


	9. Chapter 9

"Damn, these are heavy," I muttered as Lydia and I carried our set of mammoth tusks into Whiterun.

"We only needed one," she shot me a quick glare. "Why did you have to insist that we bring all eight? What if she isn't willing to pay for them all?"

"I wasn't going to charge her extra," I frowned at her. "But she's looking to sell them and start a store or an inn or something. I wasn't really paying too much attention. Regardless I figure more will help give her a better start."

"I wouldn't have ever guessed you'd be so philanthropic," she said with a disturbing amount of sincerity.

"Yeah, well, sometimes I like to take a break from the thievery, murder and rape and do something nice to balance it all out," I deadpanned. I actually managed to get a smirk out of my normally stoic housecarl.

"Had I known that was the plan I would've been much more enthusiastic about joining up with you, my Thane," she replied in a similar sarcastic monotone.

"Oh, so you're one of _those_ girls. Remind me to never take you home to meet my mother. I don't think she'd approve."

She scoffed humorously. "I think your mother would have a greater problem with me not being an Argonian."

"I think my mother would care a lot more about...some of my other decisions than who I decide to bring home," I chuckled.

"I suppose you have a point. I'd be somewhat shocked if your mother turned out to be a supporter of the thievery, murder and rape we'll apparently be getting up to."

"Exactly. She isn't going to care if the one I was doing it with was a human," I said flippantly.

A few minutes of silence passed as we made our way towards the marketplace. "Do you actually know where this woman is? These tusks aren't getting any lighter," Lydia asked as she shifted the pack on her shoulder.

"How should I know? All you humans look the same to me," I returned with a smirk I hoped she couldn't see. I hoped she thought I was actually being serious. "The only noteworthy things I noticed about her were her red hair and..." I paused for a moment and decided against mentioning that I'd spent most of the conversation with Ysolda taking quick glances at her chest. "And that's about it. Short red hair."

"Why would you notice her hair?" Lydia asked with obvious surprise.

"Part of how Argonians identify each other is by the spines or horns on our heads. No two are quite the same," I explained. "So we tend to do the same with humans. Unfortunately you seem to be rather fond of picking specific styles to copy from each other so it can get kind of confusing." It was a half-truth. Hair was one way I told humans apart but it wasn't as though I couldn't separate individual faces or body shapes. If I could convince Lydia I couldn't, though, I figured it could end up being a lot of fun.

"She's coming out of the inn," I caught sight of her just as my housecarl spoke up.

"Looks like you'll prove useful, yet," I smirked over my shoulder. Ysolda saw us approaching and motioned for us to meet her at a quiet section off to the side of the market. "I found you a mammoth tusk," I said with some small measure of pride as we set down our packs. "I also found a couple extra."

The red-haired woman looked between the twin packs loaded down with gleaming bone. "I...I can't pay you for all of these," she sounded apologetic and surprised.

"I'm not asking you to pay me for all eight. Just one. The other seven are purely complimentary," I assured her. "You said you were trying to buy the inn or something and I figured that every bit would help."

She looked stunned into silence for a moment before smiling at me. "Thank you," she said gratefully. "Really. Thank you. This is more than I could have asked for."

"Don't mention it," I waved her off. "Though I can't imagine you have any way to sell these off right this minute, so I guess I should help you carry them to your house or something."

* * *

><p>"Just think: some day, this will all be yours," I chuckled to Ysolda before downing another mouthful of ale. "Hopefully some day soon. Unless you cut off the free ale for the Thane. That'd be a shame."<p>

"You're drunk," she laughed openly.

"I am not drunk," I defended and mentally cursed the slur to my voice. "I am, however, very...warmed through." I paused with the tankard halfway to my lips. "I don't think that's a real expression. Oh well. Fuck it," I laughed again and poured what remained down my gullet.

"I greatly doubt being publicly drunk will help your reputation, my Thane," Lydia giggled in a disturbingly feminine way from behind her mead.

"I already said I'm not drunk," I growled in mock anger. "Hey, wait, fuck you! You're actually stumblingly drunk. You can't say shit."

She kept her smile up as she set down her mug. "Yes, but I'm the housecarl. If I get drunk in public and make a scene you get to take responsibility."

"Bullshit. I'm changing that rule. Is that a rule? Can I change that?" I looked at Ysolda quizzically, as if she could explain the situation.

"I don't think that's a rule," she smiled warmly. She really had a very pretty smile, my ale-clouded mind decided. Her lips looked deliciously soft, but then most lips did when I compared them to my own. Scales weren't nearly so soft as skin. "Though I doubt you'd get in very much trouble. What's the worst she could do?"

"In the state she's in?" I looked across the table at my housecarl and smirked. "Stumble into some easily-offended noble and start a fight because his sleeves are too puffy, I'd assume. Or because his wife's dress has too many ruffles. That's why I'd start a fight, anyway." A sobering thought entered my mind. "Though it does also occur to me that it's getting late and something really should be done with her. And myself. Lydia, what do you say to spending the night in the castle barracks so I don't have to spend whatever it costs to rent an inn room?"

"You can't stay in the barracks," she slurred drunkenly.

"Maybe not, but you can. I'll be happy if I just save money on your bed," I said as I stood from the table. The room spun for a moment and I resisted my body's desire to wobble. "I'm going to find a guard to escort you back. And maybe take a leak."

"Hurry back!" Lydia's cheery voice followed me outside.

The cool air of the night did a decent job of shocking me to some level of sobriety. Thankfully a guard was easy to find and it was a simple matter to get Lydia on her way. "Find me at the gate tomorrow morning," I told her as she was helped towards the palace.

She nodded with a wide grin. "See you then, my Thane," she said in a tone of voice I couldn't quite place. I finished up my other business around a darkened corner of the inn before heading back inside to find Ysolda waiting for me just inside.

"You said you didn't have anywhere to stay tonight?" she asked innocently enough.

"Not as is, no," I shrugged. I had to keep my foot from tapping in my stupid excitement. Simple sense told me that there was no way she was going to offer. Two humans in one town having an attraction to my ugly race didn't seem too likely.

"Well...maybe you could spend the night in my home. It would be much less costly than the inn," she offered with a kind smile. "...I mean, if you wouldn't mind sleeping in a commoner's house."

Or maybe that "simple sense" really didn't know what it was talking about. I thought momentarily that I should probably stop doubting my appearance. It wasn't as though I had been proven right so far with every assumption that humans had to consider me repulsive. That thought was quickly shot down by the niggling doubt reminding me that she had only offered a place to stay for free and nothing more.

"What makes you think I'm anything other than a commoner myself?" I chuckled and held the door open for her. As she walked by I was suddenly struck by how much taller I was than her. I had to stand nearly a full head and a half higher. I was also struck by how well that let me see down the front of her dress.

She looked back at me with a bemused expression. "You're the Thane," she said as I followed her.

"I'm also just an ordinary man. Lizard. Whatever," I waved her off. "The point is I'm really nothing too special."

I heard her scoff at me. "Of course you're something special," she said matter-of-factly. I must have been more drunk than I had thought or I likely would've noticed being pulled into the inky blackness between a pair of buildings on the way to Ysolda's home before I was staring down at the little sparkling flecks I could only assume were her eyes. Her back was against a wall and my hands were next to her head from my automatic reaction to catch myself. "If you weren't...I probably wouldn't be bringing you back to my house," I could hear a false innocence in her tone and feel her fingers drifting across the back of my neck.

I should stop doubting myself, I decided then and there. A light pressure on the back of my head from one of her hands guided me down to press my lips to hers and was delighted to find they were just as soft as I had thought. A light sweetness from her mead still lingered and I eagerly did my best to devour it. A quiet moan drifted through her lips and past mine and instantly inspired me to greater boldness.

My hands slid down the wall to her shoulders. I was tempted to make an attempt at the ties of her dress but a light wind reminded me of where we were. I settled on simply dragging my hands down her sides, brushing my palms against the outside of her clothed breasts, sliding over her stomach and coming to rest at the swell of her waist.

Her lips parted from mine for a split second in a sharp, pleased breath. "You're a good kisser..." she mumbled appreciatively.

"It isn't easy," I chuckled quietly. "Argonian lips aren't too well suited to kissing. Or drinking or really doing anything useful besides rambling stupidly when we're drunk and a little nervous."

"I thought you weren't drunk," she teased as her fingers played with the spines at the back of my head.

"I wasn't. Now...I'm withholding my judgement," I gave her lip a quick swipe of my tongue. "Your lips taste sweet. It could get downright dangerous."

Her hands were suddenly pressed against my shoulders, fingers dug into the chain-mail that covered covered them. "My house is this way," she rushed out breathlessly and gave me a gentle push towards the far end of the small alleyway.

I was amazed at how quickly we made it to her small home. The utter darkness inside did little to quell our lust, though it did manage to slow our progress. Without thinking I simply conjured a small orb of flame to my palm and used it to find a small candelabra. Using some talent I didn't know I had I flicked the small orb towards the candles there and watched as it fractured on the way to light each one.

"You're a mage, too," Ysolda sounded far too impressed.

"I know a bit of magic, I guess," I shrugged with an uneasy smile. Private praise was something I was never going to be comfortable with, even if I got over my insecurities about my appearance.

I stumbled back a few steps as the young woman collided with my chest. Small, delicate looking hands gripped at my face with surprising force and pulled me down into a hard, deliciously sloppy kiss. There was no concern for neatness or finesse. We attacked each other more lust than I thought I knew I had in me at that moment. My hands clawed desperately at the catches, straps and buckles of my armour. "Who in Oblivion designed this?" I growled against Ysolda's lips as I struggled to rid myself of the suddenly very uncomfortable tunic.

She actually had the nerve to giggle at my predicament. "Someone who thought you should be celibate?" she offered helpfully.

I finally managed to get the straps loose enough to tear the offending garment off. "You agree, I take it?" I asked despite her nails scratching lightly across my chest.

I received no answer for several seconds as she simply stared at the scarred expanse of black and grey before her. "...I haven't decided, yet," her tone was teasing and playful but undeniably laced with sexual hunger. I felt her fingers tug lightly on the front of my trousers. "After all, I haven't had a chance to appraise everything. I am a businesswoman, after all. I have to consider everything I stand to gain."

Two could play at this game. "Every deal needs to be even," I countered as patient claws toyed with the sleeve of her dress. "If we're going to talk business, I think both of us need to have our assets open for appraisal."

Her eyes seemed to sparkle and I could tell she was having far too much fun. "I think it may be in my best interests to be a little...defensive with my holdings."

My hands lost their patience and I couldn't help but think I'd just lost some kind of secret fight by giving in first. "Then I suppose I'll have to be a little aggressive with my dealings," I hissed in her ear. "Lift your arms. I'd hate to damage anything." Losing had never felt quite so good.

I couldn't tell if she simply lifted her arms or actually helped me tear her dress away from her body. My fingers fumbled hastily for the ties of her undergarments but a hard shove towards her bedroom door put me out of reach.

"Back to the bed," she ordered with a sly smile. I eagerly obeyed, though I was still going to have fun with it.

"Hey, I'm not done making you naked, yet," I frowned as I sat down on the edge of her bed. Her brassiere fell off seconds later and that effectively put an end to my complaints. "Great tracks of land..." I muttered. "...You certainly had a lot more hidden under that dress than I thought," I said as she walked towards me. My eyes refused to leave her ample bosom, though I vaguely took note of the appealing sway of her hips.

"So you think I'm fat?" she asked and I was suddenly terrified when I couldn't tell if she was joking or being serious.

"Not at all. I'm saying that you have very large, very beautiful and very appealing breasts," I stated frankly. The sheer bluntness of the comment seemed to stun her into silence and a pretty pink tint lit up her cheeks and neck.

Ysolda cleared her throat and I assumed it was partly to give herself a bit of courage. "Well, I have my...assets on display," she laughed quietly and nervously.

"Indeed you do. They're certainly enough for me to agree to whatever terms you set out," I kept up the charade. "I take it you'd like to have a fair chance to assess my goods?"

The comment actually got a full out laugh from her. "You didn't just call it your goods," she shook her head at me.

I smiled with her for a moment before I realized she was nearly naked and just out of my reach. "...Take a step closer," I said quietly.

I could see her mood shift into something...anxious and anticipatory. After the slightest hesitation she obeyed, stepping forward even while lacing her fingers together in an obvious sign of nervousness. "Relax," I whispered and pulled her hands apart gently. I was at eye-level with her collarbone and couldn't think of a better place to be.

A surprised and piercing shriek left her mouth as my lips latched onto one of her nipples. At first I thought I had overstepped a boundary until I felt her hands pressing me harder to her chest. My lips, teeth and tongue worked to lavish as much attention on each of her gorgeous mounds as they could. Whatever wasn't being worked on by my mouth was being shown as much affection as I could muster with fingers that I was happy were getting more skillful with each night spent in warmer company. My other arm wrapped around her lower back and held her even tighter against me.

"K-Kai..." she breathed between moans. "Please...I need..."

I didn't wait for her to continue. A loud, long moan sounded as my fingers left her breast to press against the crotch of her underwear. "Does the fact that you're soaked completely through mean I'm doing something right?" I hissed huskily against the saliva-soaked flesh of her breasts.

No answer came before I had pulled her drenched underwear down her legs. I lifted her by the waist with my arm and spun to lower her gently to her bed. Despite the unbelievable constraint of my pants against my throbbing erection I was abruptly determined to get this woman screaming before I was even naked.

I slid my palms down her sides, over the swell of her hips and down her thighs. I kneaded the flesh of her legs as my tongue slid across her stomach. I could taste the salt of her sweat. She stared down at me through half-lidded eyes, watching me make my way down her body. Her fingers idly toyed with the tip of one of my spikes. She held her breath as I drifted past the dark curls at the apex of her legs. A low groan made its way out of her throat as I moved on to kiss and lick at the inside of her thighs.

"You're torturous," she breathed and let her head fall back to her bed.

A sharp gasp hissed through her teeth as I finally dragged my tongue through her moist folds. I gently pushed her legs farther apart and became more aggressive with my tongue and lips. I spread her lips open to get better access to the hardened nub that made her moan louder every time my tongue swiped across it. The sweet and salty taste of her juices spread throughout my mouth. A pair of fingers sliding into her wet heat seemed to be the breaking point. I instantly felt her contract around the digits and a long, high-pitched moan drew out of her throat. A low curse left her lips as she slowly relaxed.

My fingers kept working in and out of her while I kissed and licked and sucked my way back up her body. I nipped gently at her neck, mindful of the sharpness of my teeth. Her breath warmed my neck while she returned the affection to my own neck. I had to stop for a moment while my foggy mind processed the pleasurable feeling of her lips and tongue against the soft scales at my throat.

"Does that feel good?" Ysolda whispered in my ear. I could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

"Y-yeah," I answered with a somewhat shakily. "No one's...ever done it before, though." I barely had the presence of mind to keep the fingers buried in her slit moving.

Her quiet gasps turned to moans and I could feel her hands urgently working at the straps holding my pants in place. "Why are these so hard to get off?" she muttered against my neck.

"It's armour. It isn't supposed to come off easily," I replied with a light chuckle. I sat up on my knees and made quick work of the catches and buckles with practised fingers. I pushed the garment down my legs and flicked it away with a snap of my tail. The relief I felt at finally having the unforgiving leather away from my erect cock was incredible. I was amazed I'd managed to withstand it for so long.

Ysolda's legs locked around my waist while her hand nearly pulled my eager member to her entrance. I fell forward from the sudden pull and found myself staring down at the pillow just above her head. I looked down to see her gazing up at me with a look I couldn't place. Despite my many years moving among humans I still found it a trying experience to figure out their expressions from time to time.

Her face turned into an expression of pleasure that I did recognize, though, when I slid my full length into her. Blunt nails dug into the hard scales of my back as I moved in and out of her slick, tight pussy. Despite the moans and near screams in my ears - or maybe because of them - I only sped up. Before long I was upright on my knees and fucking Ysolda relentlessly. My finger dug into her hips in a grip that must have been bruising. It seemed as though no matter how hard and deep I pounded into her I needed more. The point of satisfaction was just out of reach. It did little to stop me from trying.

The woman below me didn't seem to know what to do with her hands. One was groping roughly at her breast while the other was gripped tightly around my forearm. A stream of curses left her lips mixed in with her gasps and moans. The hand on my arm pulled my own up to her face and she slid one of my fingers into her mouth. Her tongue circled around the finger as she sucked on it. A small thought flashed through my mind that it was strange but at the moment I didn't come close to caring until the urge to kiss her built up along with my impending orgasm.

I pulled my hand from her face, dragging a wet line down her jaw and neck and moved down to press my lips to hers in a hard kiss. An instant later and my cock was pulsing inside her, emptying my seed into her body. I could tell she was close, as well, and kept up my thrusts despite the painful pleasure. Thankfully I didn't have to bear it long before she tore away from my lips and let out a serious of loud screams. I wouldn't have been surprised if a neighbour or two had heard her and smirked slightly at the thought.

Her arms held me shakily as I withdrew from her with a hiss and I let myself fall to the bed beside her. The candles in the other room had long since burnt out, leaving us staring at each other in near total darkness. Years spent on the road had trained my eyes to see in the dark but I could only vaguely make out her profile's silhouette.

She rolled onto her side to face me. I could hear her gasping for air and feel her breath wafting against my neck and chest. Her skin was slicked with sweat and hot to the touch as I slid a hand down her side to rest on her waist. "Wow," she eventually whispered. I could hear the smile in her voice.

"I get that a lot," I joked and, to my surprise, she actually laughed. "Don't get it a lot from humans, though." Curiosity more than sense bade me to ask, "...You ever thought about being with an Argonian before tonight?"

To my further surprise she answered. "I've fantasized about it a few times," she said honestly. "You're the first time I've ever gotten to do more than think about it."

"I do what I can," I said with a slight shrug. I doubted she could see my smirk in the dark but that didn't stop me.

"Have you ever considered laying with a human?" she asked after a moment.

I had to look away in an unconscious display of sheepishness. "You aren't the first," I said somewhat timidly. "Though I'm always amazed whenever a human so much as looks twice at me."

"I quite enjoy looking at you," Ysolda murmured with a soft kiss to my neck.

"You're welcome to do more than that whenever you want," I chuckled. "I'm certainly not someone who'll turn away a beautiful woman."

"Even if I just want to kiss for a while until we fall asleep?"

"You're getting downright romantic on me now," I joked. "But I don't see any harm. Kissing has turned out to be all kinds of fun."

* * *

><p>AN: I'm thoroughly convinced this wasn't worth the wait. Especially considering most of it was written in the past week or so. I don't even think it's all that bad, though I am actually fairly happy with how the sex scene turned out. I originally wanted it to be longer, but then I felt like it would get overly drawn-out and I just decided "Fuck it, they're having wake-up sex, too." So there's a preview of what the next chapter will contain. It's like a spoiler people are happy to hear. Hopefully. I also promise the wait won't be nearly so long. I'm done school in literally a week plus two days, so to make the five people who actually read this thing wait that long would be ridiculous. And if you're one of those five people, please don't hesitate to leave a review and let me know what you think of the story. I'd be happy to get back to you whenever I can.


	10. Chapter 10

I awoke to the feeling of warm, soft flesh pressed against my chest. Pale, slit pupil eyes cracked open and I found myself greeted by Ysolda's bright red hair. A faint smile pulled at my lips as I nuzzled the tip of my snout into her hair and inhaled. She still smelled like sweat and sex and it suddenly occurred to me that I would, too, with the way I was pressed flush against her back.

"Good morning," she murmured sleepily and moved to turn around to face me. I held her still and took another breath of her scent.

"I like your hair," I muttered. She laughed softly and let me run my fingers through it. "Is it weird that I find hair interesting?"

"Do you?" she asked with a joking tone.

"Humans and elves put so much work into it, with the way you cut it and shape it. You never seem satisfied with however it naturally grows," I explained. "People with curly hair want straight hair and people with straight hair want it to have curls. And don't get me started on beards..."

"Argonians don't have to deal with any of that, do you," it was a statement more than a question.

"Not as such, no. Though I imagine some with spikes on their heads want frills or a number of horns," I chuckled. "I've always been happy enough to just ignore the things until I try to put on a shirt or something and it all goes awry."

A short yawn interrupted her quiet laugh. "Clothes give you trouble?" Ysolda seemed full of questions.

"Like you wouldn't believe," I groaned melodramatically. "If this country wasn't so frigid I'd be tempted to just walk around naked everywhere and avoid the whole mess."

"Now there's an enticing thought," she angled her head back to look at me. I leaned over her shoulder to make it easier on her neck. "I don't suppose I could convince you to just be naked whenever you're in my house, could I?"

"I'm sure we could work something out," I smirked. Staring down at her soft features and alluring lips I was reminded of our previous night. I was taken by the abrupt urge to kiss her.

She seemed to be expecting it and very willingly tilted her head back to meet my lips when I leaned down. The kiss was gentle and sensual and every bit as enjoyable as our passionate lip-locking from the night before. One of my hands ghosted down her ribs and stomach, coming to rest at her hip to knead the creamy flesh of her thigh. My other hand crept up from under her side to latch onto her breast.

A breathy moan passed her lips to mine. Her hand reached up to cup my cheek, though as I played with her breast for longer and longer I started to feel her nails bite against my scales. For a brief instant I was reminded of the beast's claws that gave me the scars streaking down the left side of my face but I hastily banished the thought.

My hand grew impatient at her thigh and seemed to decide on its own that it wanted to be in the warmth between her legs. I found her already damp with want and proudly smirked against her lips before she broke away in a gasp. I rubbed lazy circles around the hardening bump at the tip of her slit. "This is kind of embarrassing, but I have a question," I muttered against her neck as I showered it with light nips and kisses.

She hummed in response that I took to be a go ahead. "What's this thing called? Argonian females are lacking it, if memory serves," I asked. "Unless I just left a few women thoroughly unsatisfied by inexperience."

A light blush added to the colour of Ysolda's cheeks. I wondered for a moment what purpose embarrassment served when I had a hand buried in the dark curls of her crotch. "It's called a clitoris," she said between gasps and moans.

"A clitoris? Odd name for it," I muttered to myself.

"Considering how much difficulty men seem to have finding it I think a woman had to have named it," she said with some mix of a moan and a laugh.

"...I don't know whether to be offended or not," I tried my best to frown but couldn't do it. I opted instead slide my middle finger into her moist passage. She moaned loudly and moved her hand to grasp her free breast. I wondered faintly how comfortable it could be to have her nails digging into her flesh but considering the way her eyes were screwed shut and her mouth hung slightly open I figured she knew better than me.

A second finger pushed its way into her sex but a hand on my wrist stopped me before I could get going. "Just fuck me," she groaned wantonly. There was an edge of desperation to her voice.

"If you insist," I chuckled and pulled my fingers from the warm embrace of her core. I smeared a trail of her juices along her hip and I only barely resisted the urge to lick her clean. I gave into the other desire I was struck with and pushed myself up to my knees and guided her until she was on hers before me.

A smile I couldn't quite identify graced Ysolda's lips. She pushed herself up on her hands and looked over her shoulder at me. After a moment I finally figured out the expression to simply be one of lust. When I caught her expression I threw the temptation to tease her a little more out the window. The hot, slick clutch of her pussy was just as welcoming as it had been mere hours before.

Moans, gasps and hisses of pleasure filled the room as I fucked her. The fact that I couldn't see Ysolda's face and breasts was rectified slightly by the lovely view I had of her ass and shapely hips. I ran my hands across the milky white skin of her buttocks, fascinated by the softness and smoothness of it. I imagined for a moment trying this with an Argonian woman and almost laughed at the ridiculousness of it. The trouble I would have with the tail would make the entire affair an effort in futility. This was something I could only do with a human or elf, and I was more than okay with that.

I don't know what bizarre, sadistic thought possessed me a moment later, but before I even realized what I was doing I had landed a sharp swat across Ysolda's backside. My eyes shot wide at my own action. She let out a surprised but very pleased cry and looked at me over her shoulder with lust-laden eyes.

She stared at me for several seconds before I got the hint and landed another quick slap to her ass. This one brought forth a moan and a sharp, brief tightening of her pussy around my hard cock. I was about to land another smack when she pushed herself up so she was pressed against my chest. Her head turned back and captured my lips in a kiss while she grabbed my hand and forced it to her crotch. I needed no insistence and happily obliged her silent request by rubbing my fingers across her clitoris.

"Harder," she pleaded against my lips. I couldn't tell if she meant my thrusts or my hand and decided it was best to hedge my bet and put more energy into both.

It wasn't long before I was railing into her at an absolute fury and my fingers were a blur across her clitoris. It also wasn't long before she was screaming aloud. She released my lips and let her head fell forward when her body began to shake and convulse with her orgasm. Her screams turned to sobs that I hoped desperately were still in pleasure. The sheer tightness of her pulsing sex quickly drew out my own orgasm. Nonetheless, I kept up my pace for as long as my body would allow. The sexual frenzy my body had been worked into wouldn't allow anything less until I finally felt my own release pulse into her eager and spent sex.

Her body went nearly limp in my arms and I gently withdrew from her. I guided us both down to the bed as softly as I could. Tiny shakes still rattled through Ysolda's body, though I wasn't much better with the light quiver I had with every movement I made. No amount of gasping seemed to get any air into our lungs. My muscles felt weak, my bones slack slack and every fibre of my body buzzed with post-coital euphoria.

I pushed myself up to rest on my elbows. "You okay?" I asked after regaining enough of my breath to speak.

"Oh yes," she giggled weakly. "I feel like I don't have any bones left and it's amazing."

I smiled but said nothing. I didn't think much of any words were needed at that moment. I leaned down on shaking muscles and pressed a soft kiss against her lips that she was happy to reciprocate.

"I should probably get going. I have a pretty long trip ahead of me," I whispered at length.

"Where are you going?" she asked curiously.

"A place called Ivarstead," I answered as I stood up from the bed. "Apparently that's how I get to High Hrothgar."

That seemed to get her attention. She hastily sat up and stared at me. "Why would you need to go to High Hrothgar?" she asked. I noticed she had a little trouble keeping herself steady and had to suppress a proud smirk.

"The Greybeards summoned me. I'm a Dragonborn or something, it would seem," I shrugged as though it were trivial.

"D-Dragonborn?" Ysolda looked in awe. I didn't very much like it.

I fidgeted a little as I gathered up and donned my armour from around the room. "Don't look at me like that. I'm still nothing special. Just an Argonian who can yell really loud when he needs to." I looked across her naked body at the edge of the bed and my tongue swept across my lips. "Though I generally prefer to make other people yell really loud."

A pretty blush coloured the woman's cheeks and neck and she looked away with a bashful smile. "You have to know how important it is to be the Dragonborn," she said after a moment.

"I'd rather just be a random lizard no one pays attention," I pulled my eyes away from her gorgeous form.

I didn't notice her approach until she was standing immediately before me. I looked down to see her staring up at me with a soft smile. "What if I told you being the Dragonborn made you more sexy?" she asked in an innocent tone.

"I wasn't sexy before?" I asked back with a slight smirk.

"You were passable," she joked. "Now? I don't think I'll have a clean pair of undergarments again while I'm around you."

I pressed a quick kiss to her lips to keep her from continuing. If I didn't leave immediately there was a good chance I was going to end up having her back on the bed and I'd never get out.

* * *

><p>"Are these roads usually so quiet?" I asked my housecarl as we prepared a small camp just off the road. We had travelled for almost the entire day, deciding to stop only when the skies began to darken and the horizon at our back became splashed with colour in the sunset. I had to admit that the deep orange, red and purple bursting from the mountains looked rather picturesque.<p>

The surrounding vegetation was rather sparse around out little camp and offered little cover, but I figured that with the two of us we'd be able to split the watch and always have a pair of keen eyes watching for trouble. There was even a small river down a rather steep slope nearby that had a pleasant abundance of fish swimming in its clear waters.

"Most towns are fairly autonomous. The only people who heavily use the roads are the Khajiit caravans and bandits," she explained. "There is trade between cities and holds but most of it's done through the caravans."

"And they're usually a bit too heavily armed for most thieves to really think attacking them worthwhile," I said and received a nod in response. "I'm used to Cyrodiilic roads. They're always busy and always swarming with bandits. Though the bandits don't tend to ask for more than a hundred septims or so, which I always thought is kind of weird."

"Most people tend to carry more than a hundred and if it's worth their life they're likely willing to part with it. Perhaps the thieves simply assume it's an easy amount to gain from a great number of people," Lydia suggested.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense," I agreed as I piled some brush in a small pit I had scraped out of the ground. The fire wouldn't be large, but then it didn't need to be. "You like fish?" I'm sure the question seemed random to my housecarl, if her surprised expression were any indication.

"Yes, actually," she said after a moment.

"Good. I'm going to go dive in that river and grab some supper," I said with a quick motion of my head towards the stream in question.

She looked up and down the road and gave a quick nod. "That sounds like a good plan. Would you like me to accompany you, my Thane?" I noted a teasing tone to her voice.

"Yes, I would," I held back a chuckle at her raised brow. Apparently she hadn't thought I'd actually ask her to come along.

"Very well," she accepted simply and followed me down to the river.

"Think we'll make it to Ivarstead tomorrow?" I asked as I undid the plethora of straps and buckles holding my armour on.

Lydia nodded. "Yes. We should make it there by midday tomorrow if we travel straight there."

"Good," I nodded back. "I'd like this whole Greybeard business over and done with as quickly as possible so I can get back to doing nothing with my life." I noticed her give me a strange look I couldn't quite identify when I began slipping the straps of my armoured pants free.

"Is that...necessary?" she asked with some small bit of hesitation.

I gave her a questioning look with an arched brow. "I don't feel like having the leather around my crotch get and more tight and constrictive than it needs to be. Why? Is there a problem?"

"It is as you said, my Thane," she said and looked away. I could swear she had a slight blush painting her cheeks. "Your body doesn't look very much different from a human's under your armour." She chuckled quietly and I thought for a moment that it might have been in an attempt to alleviate her embarrassment. "Even with the scales and the tail."

"...Well then enjoy the show," I said with as much false bravado as I could before shucking off my trousers and kicking them onto the pile of armour beside the river. "Unless you don't much enjoy the sight of a naked man swimming around catching fish. Then you're going to have to suffer for a couple minutes."

I felt somewhat accomplished at the light laugh I got out of the woman and she seemed suddenly much more comfortable. "You're usually only naked for a couple minutes at a time then, my Thane?" she teased, suddenly seeming much more comfortable.

"How long am I expected to last with a mouth full of fish?" I asked airily in return. My comment earned me a scoff that was interrupted by a quick bout of laughter.

"That was actually rather clever," Lydia said with a smirk and sat down at the edge of the stream. "Did you just come up with that comment off your cuff?"

"Nope. Been saving it," I joked with a smirk as my eyes watched the water closely for any sign of movement.

At the first flash of silvery scales I slipped into the water and shot towards the fish like an arrow. Powerful legs and tail propelled me through the water as I flew along after the fish I had spotted. I managed to catch it in my teeth after only a few seconds when I caught sight of another one within reach. My hand shot out, cutting through the water I was born to live and breath in like a knife and captured the second fish in claw-tipped fingers.

I broke the surface near the middle of the river and plucked the first fish from my teeth with free hand before tossing both onto the shore to drown in the open air. "Am I expected to eat something that's already been in your mouth, my Thane?" Lydia asked, though her smirk betrayed it as a joke.

I shrugged with a similar smile on my face. "I don't know. Would you be willing to kiss me?" I asked and was instantly concerned I had crossed some previously unknown line. My mind raced for ways to play it off as a joke if I needed to.

It seemed she took it as one regardless and gave me another entertained scoff. "Clear your mouth of the taste of raw fish and perhaps I will consider it," she said with an amused grin.

I thought of simply laughing and ending it there, but a new side of me that had been awakened by my unexpected successes since coming to Skyrim decided that this had to be taken a few steps further. I looked down at the waters of the river flowing around my chest. It would be a simple matter to dip my head down, rinse my mouth and offer the challenge to Lydia.

Before I had a chance to enact my plan, though, the sound of movement from the other bank caught our attention. My head snapped up to behold a great beast leaping at me from the shore. It looked like a giant cat with two massive canines hanging from its mouth like a pair of sickles. I barely had time to duck my head under the water and throw my arms up to protect myself before it came crashing down on me in the river.

It broke the surface immediately after me, paws outstretched and tipped with what may as well have been daggers for its claws. I gripped its neck with my hands and kept its gaping, razor-filled maw at arm's length. Unfortunately this left me vulnerable to its claws which found their place locked tightly in the flesh of my shoulders. We tumbled through the river and I was immensely grateful for my ability to breath underwater or there would have been no chance of my survival. Without drowning to worry about, though, I could focus on the much more pointed threat of this beast's fangs.

I released its neck with one hand and gave into my second instinct to jam my thumb as deeply as I could into its eye socket. Even underwater its roar of pain was nearly deafening. It whipped its head back and snapped its teeth at my offending hand. The water slowed me down just enough to prevent me from escaping all injury and its incredibly sharp teeth carved a deep gouge in my forearm.

The injured eye still gave me time to plant my feet in its stomach and kick it away. I swam towards the nearest shore as quickly as I could, though the beast still managed to swipe my foot with a rather vicious set of claws. When I hit the ground and scrambled onto land I found myself on the opposite shore from my housecarl. "Lydia! Sword! Now!" I shouted in a hurried slur I prayed she understood.

The beast was just bursting forth from the water when I saw the glint of metal come sailing through the air overhead. A rather large part of me considered Lydia insane for throwing me an unsheathed blade but that very likely saved my life. The animal leapt at me again just as my blade reached me. The instant my fingers were coiled around the rough leather of my sword's hilt I dropped to my back and held it out.

The massive weight of the brute's body crushed me into the ground and I felt the pommel of my sword jam into my stomach. The wind was thrown from my body and for a few tense seconds I wondered if my death was at hand. When the beast atop me failed to stir and maul me, though, I knew my foolish instinct had worked. "Not quite how I'd like to have a wet pussy crammed against my face," I muttered as I rolled the animal off.

"Are you alright, my Thane?" Lydia called out. I could hear the worry in her voice.

"Ever notice that the only time anyone ever asks 'are you alright' is when the person is very clearly not alright?" I returned with a pained chuckle. Even from my place across the river I could hear her relieved sigh.

I swam back across the stream to rejoin my housecarl. "You know, usually when I'm wet, naked and covered in blood I've had a lot more fun than that," I joked with a wince.

Lydia frowned as she looked me over. "You're...rather badly injured," she seemed inclined to point out the obvious.

"I've had worse," I shrugged and instantly regretted the action. It didn't do much to help ease the searing pain in my torn shoulders. "Still, if you'd fetch me my trousers I'd be rather grateful."

"Your foot should probably be tended to first..."

"Pants now. Healing later. I don't care how badly you want to see me naked," I waved at her in an almost dismissive way.

"It isn't..." she abruptly cut herself off when she seemed to realize I was baiting her. With a sigh that bordered on sounding annoyed she turned and grabbed my pants from the pile of leather and chain mail.

"Thanks. I really didn't want to bend over," I smiled slightly and very gently slipped my torn-up foot through my pant leg. Pain lanced up my leg but I did my best to ignore it. A couple of minutes wasn't likely to make a difference and I had grown fed up with being naked and vulnerable.

Lydia picked up the rest of my equipment despite my protests. "I am sworn to carry your burdens," she said in an almost contrived way. I took solace that I was still apparently allowed to carry the fish back.

"I still maintain you just want to see me naked," I murmured under my breath.

"And if I did?" she looked over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow.

I stumbled slightly in my limping after her. I was surprised she had actually heard me. "Well...I'd be somewhat surprised. I mean, I am kind of scaly. Most of the humans I've met in life haven't found me to be particularly appealing." The qualifier "most" echoed a few times in my head.

"True," she admitted and set my gear down next to the campfire. "You're also in good enough physical condition to fight a sabre cat and win. That's no small feat. Though I have to wonder why you didn't just use your magic."

I felt my skin heat uncomfortably. "It's...not my first instinct," I chuckled in an embarrassed tone. "I didn't have much time to actually think about what I was doing. I just ducked under the water and jammed my thumb knuckle-deep into its eye socket the instant I could." I lifted my foot to inspect the damage and found it carved with a trio of deep gashes. "Though magic might be a good plan now."

An increasingly familiar golden glow enveloped my hands when I conjured the only restoration spell I knew. Lydia sat and watched in silence as my skin and muscle knit back together. After a few seconds all that remained of my injury were three pale lines. "New scars to add to the pile," I chuckled and repeated the process with my shoulders.

"Some of your scars certainly look unique," Lydia remarked. "I have to admit that I've been quite curious about how you got the ones running down your cheek."

I paused in reaching for my tunic. "I...got a bit carried away fighting an animal when I was a teenager," I shook my head at the memory. "Black Marsh has a lot of very unfriendly beasts and some of us consider it something of a rite of passage to kill one. Some of us go a bit out of our league, too. These scars are what's left of getting half my face torn off."

"What kind of beast did that?" my housecarl asked as I replaced my armour.

"It's called a thrinax," I said and set about cleaning the fish I had caught with a knife. "Think of a bear, but covered in hard scales and with much larger teeth and claws. Not to mention a tail that can break a man's leg without too much trouble and a temper that makes that sabre cat look downright tame. And I decided to try and kill one with a dagger."

"...What in the world possessed you to do that?"

"Male pride, mostly," I answered with a flippant shrug while spearing the now headless, tailless and gutless fish on sticks next to the fire to cook. "That and my brother told me I couldn't. I did manage to kill it, after about half an hour of the most gruelling fighting of my life. Almost half my scars are just from that one fight, actually."

"You have a terrible habit of getting yourself into bad situations," Lydia said with a frown.

"And I have an amazing habit of getting myself out of them," I replied with a grin. "Honestly, I don't know how I'm still alive and breathing. Maybe one of the gods was making sure that their precious Dragonborn didn't kick the bucket before he had to do...whatever it is a Dragonborn does."

"That seems possible," Lydia agreed with my ridiculous suggestion.

My grin instantly vanished. "I was joking. I much prefer the idea that I've actually gotten myself out of most of the hairier situations. I can do without some aedra interfering in my business, thank you very much. Or daedra, for that matter. Or any kind of otherwordly being."

An expression came over the woman's face that said she had just clued into something. "Hold on. You just mentioned a brother. You've never talked about your family before."

"Neither have you," I tried to avoid the impending question. "Besides, I talk about myself all the time as it is. Maybe it's about time I got to know my housecarl a little better, hm?" I spun the fish around to make sure both sides cooked evenly while she told me of her family.

"I was born and raised in Whiterun. It's the only place I've ever called home and I've served it faithfully as a guard and as a soldier, just as my father did before me. My mother used to help in the Temple of Kynareth, up in the wind district. She died of illness and my father died fighting bandits while I was a teenager and I never had any brothers or sisters," she explained very succinctly. "Now it's your turn."

"I was born in Black Marsh and left home about four years ago. Since then I've pretty much just wandered around. Spent most of that time in Cyrodiil, working as a guard or a hired sword or some other such low-profile job. Even spent some time in Elsweyr and Hammerfell. Never bothered poking my head into Valenwood; too close to the Summerset Isles. The only real reason I was coming to Skyrim was because it was somewhere I'd never been," I picked up one of the cooked fish and handed it to Lydia. "Watch out for the bones. I didn't bother taking them out because these aren't pike and they probably aren't going to choke you to death if you're careful."

We ate in silence for a few moments before she spoke up again. "You still haven't mentioned your family," she said past a small mouthful of fish.

"No, I haven't," I said as I stuck my hand in my pack. "Apple?" I offered the fruit clutched in my hand.

She took it wordlessly and simply stared at me while I grabbed my own apple. I sighed and gave in, at least slightly. "None of them are dead, as far as I know. It's been a few years since I saw any of them," I chuckled dryly and took another bite of my fish. "I can't imagine my parents were terribly pleased when I left home."

"You didn't tell them you were leaving or say goodbye?" If there was one thing I truly enjoyed about my housecarl, it was her simply curiosity. There was never judgement or accusation in her questions.

"Not really, no," I shrugged. "They'd have done something foolish like try and convince me to stay. There was really no reason for me to, though, and I was going a bit stir-crazy just sitting around our home. I wanted to get out and see the world a bit, you know?"

"Do you ever plan on going back?"

I mulled the question over as I chewed my food. "...Maybe," I answered eventually. "I've thought about it. I just don't see much point. I like wandering around. I'm just another random lizard out here, you know?"

"But you're not. You're the Dragonborn," she argued.

"Well I never asked to be," I muttered and finished my food. I was suddenly feeling very sore and tired, like the day's labours had finally settled their weight on me. "You want the first or second watch?" I asked despite my exhaustion.

I received a smile in return that surprised me with its gentleness. "I will take first watch, my Thane. You've had a tiring day."

"I've had a tiring five minutes to end the day on," I scoffed and chuckled. "Just kick me in the ribs whenever you want to go to sleep."

* * *

><p>AN: Dialogue-heavy chapters are a pain in the ass to write. They feel so boring. Still, I like most of the conversation in this chapter, even if it is pretty one-sided. I also like that I don't have much to say so this won't turn into a stupid rant. Leave a review if you'd be so kind and as always I'll be happy to get back you when I can.


	11. Chapter 11

"...And this one I got from a broken mead bottle in a bar fight," I pointed to a scar running along the back of my hand. I wasn't entirely sure how Lydia and I got on the topic of my scars again but I was having a surprising amount of fun recounting the various tales of where they all came from. "There are a shocking number of humans in Cyrodiil who aren't too fond of Argonians. I got pretty good at fist-fighting just from hanging around enough pubs."

"I refuse to believe you never did anything to provoke them," my housecarl rolled her eyes at me.

"I'll have you know I'm the absolute picture of politeness, even when drunk," I tried to sound indignant but just ended up breaking into a laugh. "Okay, I can't even say that with a straight face."

"You weren't so bad the other night," Lydia chuckled.

"I wasn't all that drunk," I defended myself. "Back in Cyrodiil I used to get so thoroughly imbibed I could barely walk straight on a nightly basis. And then someone would say something stupid and a fight would break out and I'd have to bribe my way out of jail time. Then I ran out of money and had to stop that habit."

"So the Thane of Whiterun is quite the troublemaker," she sounded amused. "How scandalous."

"One good thing about causing a lot of trouble is that you learn how to get yourself out of it. Or get your ass kicked and thrown in jail," I said with a laugh.

Lydia looked like she was going to add to the conversation when we came around a bend and caught sight of an old, broken tower further up the road. It had a bridge that ran across the river on our left and I imagined that when it was built it was quite the fortification. As it was, though, it just looked like somewhere for highwaymen to wait by the road for travellers. My suspicions were virtually confirmed by the pair of roguish individuals sitting by the door.

"And here I was thinking about how nice and quiet the roads in Skyrim are," I sighed. "Well, apart from the odd giant or sabre cat looking to make itself troublesome."

We each kept our hands near our weapons as we approached. The humans at the door, a female with a pair of daggers at her hip and a male armed with a simple sword, stood up and walked to intercept us on the road. "This is a toll road," the man said as he crossed his arms over his chest. I noted that his hands were nowhere near his weapon.

"Aye. Two hundred septims sounds about right," the woman said and looked me up and down.

"Two hundred?" I made sure to sound unbelieving and turned my head to look at Lydia. "I look like I'm that wealthy?"

Before she could answer my rhetorical question I had already drawn my sword and slashed it across the man's face. Or at least tried to. With the edge I had sharpened it to it dug far deeper than I had really intended to and almost cleft his head in two. My housecarl used the distraction to bash his counterpart with her shield, knocking the woman to the ground. Her blade quite cleanly drove through the bandit's throat and nearly removed her head.

Movement above us caught my attention and my eyes widened in alarm at the bows being drawn. "Archers!" I warned in a sharp bark. Lydia and I took the only path that led to safety from the death from above: into the tower. It was bound to have more bandits to be dealt with but at least inside we wouldn't be shot down without a chance to react. I silently lamented my lack of skill with a bow.

There were no one on the ground floor with us in the tower, though I expected that to quickly change and I was less than thrilled with the idea of the archers picking us off from the top of the stairs. I motioned to my housecarl with my head to follow me up and meet our attackers rather than being overrun before I shucked my pack from my shoulders.

It didn't take long to run into someone. It also didn't take me long to run them through, either. I made sure to toss the body to the side so Lydia wouldn't have a corpse come toppling down on her from above. She stopped at the bridge outside to hold off anyone trying to attack me from behind while I continued my way up the tower to take care of the archers. I didn't much fancy the thought of being made into a pincushion while handling whatever other bandits occupied the place.

When I got to the roof of the building I immediately took an arrow in the shoulder with a short grunt of pain before I could cut down the first archer. I managed to dodge the second's shot and closed the distance quickly enough to lop his head from his shoulders. I tore the arrow sticking out of me with my teeth and almost felt my battle rush quicken from the coppery tang of my blood on my tongue. It faintly occurred to my mind that the pair had been Bosmer.

I turned around and looked down the stairs from whence I came in time to see a beast of an orc bearing down on me. He had a rather massive battleaxe clutched in his hands and I knew I didn't have time to get out of the way. Instead I raised my blades and caught them against the haft of his weapon, keeping the deadly head away from removing my own. Unfortunately the sheer force of the blow was enough to knock me back and I stumbled off the edge of the tower's top. Luck had me end up on my back on the stone bridge connecting the tower to the other side of the river. Bad luck flared up in a shot of pain in my side that told me I hadn't quite kept the orc's axehead away from my flesh. Terrible luck had my position on the bridge be between two bandits, though one was engaged with Lydia.

I blocked a downward slash of the other one's sword with my own and narrowly kept it from finding purchase in my face. I slashed out with my other sword at the man's legs and forced him to jump back and give me room to get back on my feet. "Behind you!" I shouted to Lydia as the beastly axe-wielder made his way down from the roof. With some obscene shout I caught the attention of her current quarry long enough to make him think my sword swinging at his back was more important than my housecarl's shield.

"Take care of him! I've got these two," I commanded and spun around to block the first bandit's slash at my back. I was immensely thankful of the blade in each of my hands and the skill I possessed with them as I blocked and parried a man on either side. My swords were a blur and neither of my attackers could get a piece of metal close enough to do any damage. Neither could I, though. As much as I knew I was good, there was only so much I could hope to do against two adversaries at once aside from keeping them busy and hope Lydia could handle the other one inside the tower.

I could feel exhaustion taking its toll on my muscles far too quickly for that hope, though, and decided that I would have to put my gills to good use. I snaked my swords inside each bandit's guard, locked the crossguards together and twisted their swords from their hands at the cost of my own. Metal clattered on stone while I gripped the collars of both their tunics and threw us off the side of the bridge.

I caught Lydia out of the corner of my eye as she emerged bloody but clearly victorious and could swear I saw panic light her face for a moment. I was too busy with my current opponents, though. I fed one a punch in the face and grabbed the other to twist him under my body. When we hit the water I was grateful for the sack of meat under me to take the lion's share of the impact.

All three of us tumbled under the roiling waters and I found myself disoriented by the impact of the fall. I almost tried to breathe before I remembered the futility of the action. I reached out and grabbed the nearest body to my and slammed a fist into its ribs. I was always amazed at how slow other races were underwater. Another blow shot the air from his lungs in a stream of bubbles. I pawed at his waist until my hands found leather wrapped steel and I pulled the man's dagger free. A dark red cloud burst forth when the blade tore open his neck.

I made sure to sink it into his collar for good measure and turned to see a flash of silver. I managed to catch my attacker's wrist and keep the second man's dagger away from my throat, though to force of his strike made us tumble through the water. He must have swam up to the surface for air and built up speed for an attack, I realized. Quite clever for a human.

I clenched my teeth at my own plan when I twisted his wrist downward and drove the dagger into my own side. Better there than in my neck, I decided. It also had the benefit of locking his hand somewhere it wouldn't stop my jaws from clamping around his neck. I bit down and twisted with all the force I could muster from my long neck. It turned out to be enough to snap a human's and the sound of a splitting spine echoed through the waters around us. A second twist the other direction made sure the man wasn't going to cause me anymore trouble.

I figured it would be in my best interests to vacate the water before a slaughterfish or five came to the scent of blood. I didn't want to be around when they inevitably descended upon the fresh meat. I stumbled onto the shore, pulling the knife from my ribs and dropping it with a dull clack onto the rocks at my feet. "That was a really bad idea," I muttered as I clutched my bleeding side. Apparently I had been right about my guess for where the gap in the chain mail was. I wished I hadn't been.

"My Thane!" I heard Lydia shout as she jogged towards me. I didn't realize how far downstream I had flowed. Unfortunately I had gone back the way we had come from. It wasn't an extra minute of travel I was looking forward to.

I noticed that my housecarl had at least had the decency to pick up my swords from where they had fallen. "Thanks," I gave a weak smile as I took them back and sheathed them.

"You're bleeding," she said with a slight frown.

"Shit, really?" even pain didn't dull my sarcastic tone. "Well that kind of sucks, doesn't it? Good thing I can heal." Lydia's look of scepticism was met by a pained smirk. "Still, that'll take a couple of days, so it's also a good thing that I know a restoration spell."

Lydia shook her head and began heading back towards the tower without me. I frowned before conjuring the stupid golden glow that knit my wounds back together. I was getting sick of using it. On the bright side, it was getting easier and easier to do it with all of my practice. Being able to heal from most any non-fatal wound in a few days time was great and all - broken bones took a week, at the most - but it seemed I was getting less and less free time for healing and so magic was my remaining option.

We cleared out what gold and valuables the bandits had built up in the old tower. I slipped on a couple rings and a necklace and shot my housecarl a cheeky grin. "Damn, I'm fashionable. Wish I had a looking glass to enjoy myself in," I said in a mock haughty tone. I laughed when she rolled her eyes. "You should put some of this jewellery on. Show off your lovely neck and all that noise."

"You enjoy my neck, my Thane?" she asked in a joking tone.

"Oh, definitely. Plus having a necklace hanging there would give me an excuse to stare at your chest," I affected a similar tone, despite the truth behind my words. I figured that some day I was going to tell her how I really felt about humans. Or she was going to figure it out on her own. Either way worked for me.

Lydia looked down at her chest and back up to me with a sceptical eyebrow raised. "That might not work terribly well while I'm wearing armour."

"Probably not. Can't blame a man for trying, though," I said with a chuckle and a shrug. Images of her with dripping wet hair and water droplets racing twisting paths along her curvaceous body flooded my mind and I very quickly vacated the tower. I decided that the sooner we got to High Hrothgar the sooner I would probably be too cold to deal with the results of my lascivious thoughts.

* * *

><p>I pulled the mammoth hide cloak I had purchased before leaving Whiterun tighter around my body. The ragged looking thing had cost me over a hundred septims but considering it kept frostbite from claiming my fingers and toes I figured it was well worth the investment. At least the lining was made of something much softer than the thick, wiry hair covering the outside. I guessed it to be rabbit fur. It was clearly designed for use by a human, though, and the hood had been less than agreeable with the spines and horns I had adorning my head. "Who the fuck decided to put this stupid temple on top of a mountain?" I grumbled to myself.<p>

I had left Lydia back in Ivarstead along with a pack I didn't figure I would need. She had been less than pleased with being left behind but had obeyed an order from her Thane. My regular pack was exchanged for one filled with salted and dried meats that I had agreed to deliver for someone in the town. I enjoyed knowing that once I got back I would have some small amount of gold waiting for me.

Another sharp gust of wind blew a few more snowflakes into my face and I winced against the biting cold. Black Marsh may have had its cold times in winter but it was nothing like climbing to the Throat of the World. With no one to maintain appearance for I let myself shiver and my teeth chatter. I hated snow, I decided. My once brown cloak had become mostly white for the stuff and I was becoming sick of the clattering my spines made when I shook it from my head.

It was only getting worse as I climbed the mountain. At the start of the steps I had felt rather relieved at how tepid the air around Ivarstead turned out to be. I was expecting much chillier weather around the town proper. As it stood I had simply been led to believe a falsehood.

I hoped the fact that my feet were numb wasn't a sign that my toes were going to fall off. I wondered if they would grow back like the tip of my tail would. The line of thought of my extremities freezing off worked its way to the logical extreme of becoming significantly less...masculine. I _really_ didn't want to find out if that would grow back.

"Seven thousand steps," I murmured quietly. I didn't know if that was an exaggeration or an understatement. I also didn't know if I'd climbed two hundred or two thousand. All I knew was it was colder than I had previously imagined possible and I was starting to regret leaving my housecarl behind. The conversation would have been nice and I chuckled at the thought of convincing her we needed to huddle together for warmth.

So far the trip up the mountain had been peaceful, though, despite the frigid temperatures. There were apparently other pilgrims climbing the steps from time to time and I had been warned that wolves often hunted along the path. I hadn't encountered either. Perhaps I was starting to get something not too far removed from good luck.

Or perhaps my luck was never going to change, I thought as I stopped dead in my tracks. An old, familiar feeling of danger worked its way into the back of my neck. Something dangerous was close and was going to become rather unfriendly in a moment. It was a feeling I had developed years ago in Black Marsh to keep myself from falling prey to a hunting thrinax or fen snake or whatever.

The harsh growl cutting through the air the only warning I was given to drop my package and dive to the side. A stark white wolf went soaring past me, claws and teeth tearing through the space I had just been occupying. A plume of snow flew up when I hit the white powder and I dreaded that it might disorient me more than my attacker.

I had my swords drawn just as the beast turned towards me. Its lips curled around its fangs in a snarl as it lowered itself to pounce again. I narrowed my eyes at it, silently daring it to try. We slowly circled each other, neither one making a noise beyond the near silent crunching of snow beneath our feet.

Another wolf came charging at my from the side. I felt rather proud of myself when I spun and brought both my swords down across the back of its neck in one smooth slice. Blood splattered across the small flakes of ice, staining the pristine white a macabre red.

The distraction proved enough for the other wolf to get the jump on me. Powerful jaws clenched around my forearm. My leather gauntlet did little to mitigate the nearly bone-breaking force of the wolf's bite. I reacted on instinct and drove my sword into its ribs. The teeth around my arm tightened for a brief moment before going slack as the beast slumped into the snow.

I extricated my arm from its mouth and flexed my hand to check for broken bones. Thankfully I was for the most part whole, though the same couldn't be said of my now shredded gauntlet.

"These beasts are a lot easier to deal with when I see it coming," I smirked. At least Skyrim didn't have too many dangerous animals lurking around. Only a few cats, wolves and bears.

Something between a growl and a heaving breath caught my attention to my side. I looked over and paled at what I saw. Apparently they had a few trolls, too. I had fought only a couple in my life in Cyrodiil, and never alone. "Fuck me," was the only thing I could come up with to accurately describe how I viewed my odds against it.

It hunched down onto its knuckles and charged at me with blinding speed. I foolishly tried a similar counter as I had with the sabre cat. Mid-spin I took one of its grotesquely strong fists to the ribs and went flying into the wall of the mountain rising up beside us. I felt a rib crack from the impact and had to resist the instinct to shut my eyes at the pain. One of my swords had flown from my hand and landed somewhere in the snow nearby. Or at least I hoped. For all I knew it had gone over the cliff opposite where I stood staring at the oncoming white brute.

I dropped to the ground when it hit, narrowly avoiding having my skull caved in by its fist. Three eyes stared at me while I drove my sword into its gut with all the strength I could muster. The monster barely even flinched.

Powerful arms lifted me and sent me flying towards the cliff as a reward for my efforts. I tumbled through the snow, kicking up what almost amounted to a cloud while I desperately tried to stop myself short of the cliff's edge. I ended up staring over it and watching the sheet of snow I had pushed over fall down the mountainside. It was a long way down.

I rolled over and watched the troll pull my sword from its stomach. It roared, though I didn't know whether it was at me or the object in its hand. Whichever the case it seemed to think the best thing to do with it was to throw it at me. I barely moved out of the way before the blade went slicing through the air and snow beside me and over the cliff's edge. "That's going to ruin someone's day," I muttered as I pushed myself to my feet.

I resisted pressing a hand to my side. At least two of my ribs were broken, though the battle high I was riding kept me from feeling too much pain. The troll's side, though, were just sealing up despite the damage I had done. I hated these things, if for no reason other than they were one of the few creatures in the world that healed faster than I did.

Another guttural roar signalled another charge and I hoped I could lure the troll into running off the side of the cliff. Instead it began skidding to a stop just short of me and brought its fists down in a brutal slam. I narrowly escaped the blow with another dive.

Flames engulfed my hands as I hit the ground, rolled and spun to face my foe. Fire was something a troll couldn't just heal through and troll fat burned like lantern oil. It was knowledge that had long been forgotten that came flooding back into my mind at the one moment I really needed to remember it.

Instead of just sending out a pair of flaming streams, though, I held my hands close together and combined the magic of my spells. I did it mostly on instinct and out of desperation and had to smirk when it actually worked. A massive blast of fire tore from my palms and burned a path through the snow to engulf my pale nemesis. A scream I couldn't even describe tore from it while it flailed and panicked. The smell of burning hair and flesh was all but annihilated by the freezing cold wind blowing around us.

Eventually the screaming stopped and the troll dropped to the ground in a charred, blackened heap. I dropped as well, heaving out in puffs of white steam. The pain from my broken ribs was setting in and I finally let myself shut my eyes and groan pitifully in agony. I pushed myself back to my feet and cautiously made my way towards the inert body. I didn't know if it was truly dead or not and wasn't looking forward to finding out the hard way.

I drew my dagger and swiftly drove it through what remained of the troll's throat. When it still made no attempt to tear off my face I decided it was probably just a corpse now and started on my way back up the mountain, pack on my shoulder. "Sometimes I really hate this place," I muttered with a sigh as I pressed glowing palms to my broken ribs. I wondered if maybe Skyrim was really so bad or if I was just horribly unlucky. I decided it had to be the latter when I tripped over my lost sword and landed face down in a snowbank.

* * *

><p>Almost an hour later I was nearing the top of the mountain. I shook my head, both to clear it of the snow that had gathered on it and to try and shake off the slight vertigo the thinner air caused. Lessons from my childhood surged up in my mind, information I once considered worthless because of the sheer lack of mountains in Black Marsh. "Morrowind has Red Mountain. For you that is reason enough," my teacher had clucked in disappointment when I had complained.<p>

I paused momentarily when I came upon a statue of Tiber Septim. It was an old, weathered thing, with small cracks running through it in various places and some lichen trying desperately to grow in the freezing conditions. Still, it had held up amazingly well given how ancient it must have been.

"So...I'm just like him," I mumbled to myself. I shook my head with a dry, humourless laugh. When I thought of it like that the whole thing sounded like a load of bullshit. I was an Argonian. I had been taught over my years of travel that my race was reason enough to enjoy a life of obscurity and unimportance. I was less than convinced that I, of all people, was the next Talos. "Just some stupid lizard with a really loud voice."

I dropped off my package of food in a chest just outside High Hrothgar's temple. There were offerings haphazardly strewn about the place. I imagined that the stone just before the great obelisk between the two sets of stairs had been worn down by a great many sets of knees over the years.

The doors slid open with startling ease considering their size. I instantly felt the heat inside start to seep into my armour and cloak and let out a quiet sigh of relief. It was certainly quite cozy inside the stone walls, especially with the torches lining them.

An elderly man in a long, dark robe approached me when I entered. He carried himself with a calm strength that made me stand just a bit taller. "So...a Dragonborn appears at this time of strife and desperation," he spoke quietly and purposefully.

"That's what I keep hearing," I chuckled as I rubbed some heat into my numb skin. "Not that I'm particularly clear on just what that means."

"That will be explained in due time," the man said with a gentle smile. "First, let us see if you truly are the Dragonborn. Let us taste of your Voice."

"Taste of my...oh, you mean that Shout thing?" I blinked and must have looked rather foolish. "I have to be honest...I'm not entirely sure how to do it intentionally."

"If you are the Dragonborn I'm sure it will be as natural as breathing," the man gave another smile and spoke patiently, as though he were teaching an undisciplined youth.

I nodded and took a deep breath. I focused on the glowing symbols of the one word I knew. "Fus," I spoke and felt the air around me nearly shake with the force of it. The Greybeard before me didn't even flinch as his robes flew about in the wind created by my Voice.

Another smile, this one of satisfaction, lit upon his face. He gave a polite nod of his head. "I am Master Arngeir of the Greybeards."

"Kailev-Tel," I introduced himself. "Apparently the Dragonborn, if all the hype is to be believed."

"You are the Dragonborn. There is no doubt of that," Arngeir sounded rather pleased about the fact. "Now tell me. Why did you come here?"

The question actually somewhat stumped me for a moment. I really didn't much know why I had come. It had simply felt like the thing to do. "I want to know what it means to be the Dragonborn,"I answered.

"The Greybeards are here to guide all those of the Dragon Blood in that pursuit."

"You mean there are other Dragonborn?" I asked quizzically. If there were others I really couldn't be all that special.

"You are not the first. There have been many of the Dragon Blood since Akatosh bestowed the gift upon mortalkind. Whether you are the only Dragonborn of this age...You are the only one that has been revealed to us thus far," Arngeir explained. "Now come. There is much for you to learn. The coming days will see if you are truly worthy of your gift."

* * *

><p>AN: I tend to try and create original dialogue that's based around what gets said in-game. Mostly because I'm lazy and copying that shit verbatim is a pain in the ass. I also tend to try and have either a fight scene or a sex scene in each chapter, though the story doesn't always allow for that and sometimes I'm forced to put out boring chunks of dialogue. I don't know whether or not I should actually do Kai's training with the Greybeards or just skip over it and have it mentioned in passing later. Let me know what you think. After all, this is being written more for the ten people who actually read this than anything else.


	12. Chapter 12

After over a week at the temple of High Hrothgar the air around Ivarstead felt downright tepid. I still had my cloak hugged tightly around my shoulders. The cold that had soaked into my very bones over the past ten days wasn't likely to vanish simply because I went someplace slightly less frigid.

The man I had delivered the Greybeards' food for was at the entrance of the town. He handed me a surprisingly heavy coin purse and thanked me for giving "his old bones a rest". It occurred to me as I headed into Ivarstead proper that I could have simply dropped the food in the snow on the way up and he would have never known the difference. Perhaps it was a good thing I was never so malicious.

"I wonder where Lydia is. Maybe she got sick of waiting and ditched me," I muttered. I somewhat hoped that she hadn't. It was nice having a female around who had little reservation about being nude in my presence. Having someone to talk to while wandering the roads was a nice change of pace from my usual, as well. A few years of walking around Tamriel alone had left me feeling rather lonesome sometimes. Not that I'd ever openly admit it, though.

I decided that the inn was the best place to check for her, considering it was where I had told her to stay. The innkeeper, an older Nord man by the name of Wilhelm, informed me that she had stepped out about an hour before I had showed up and didn't know when she'd be back, though the fact that she had left without our packs left me hopeful. After a quick explanation of myself as her Thane, Wilhelm quite happily showed me to her room and suggested I simply wait until her return. My cold and tired body agreed it was a sound plan.

I sat down on the bed with a relieved breath and shucked off my cloak. The room was kept surprisingly warm from the hearth in the inn's antechamber. The weight of exhaustion crashed down on me in what felt like an instant and I couldn't help but yawn. My training in High Hrothgar had been amazingly tiring.

I kicked my boots off and dropped back onto the bed. Unconsciously I drew in a long, deep breath and was surrounded by the smell of my housecarl. It was earthy, but undeniably feminine. I had gotten accustomed to the scent in the days we had been travelling together. It was hard not to when I spent nearly every moment in the woman's company. The breath caught in my nose as the slightest edge of something vaguely familiar hit me. It took me a few moments to register it as the same smell I had woken up to nearly two weeks beforehand with Ysolda.

After noticing it I found it was hard not to focus on the smell that suddenly seemed to permeate the room. It was also hard to ignore the effect it was trying to have on my body. Spending ten days on a frozen mountaintop had left me somewhat frustrated due to a lack of anyone to share more pleasant company with. I had gone far longer in the past, but I had also gotten used to finding some warm body to spend a night with on a semi-frequent basis in Skyrim. I chuckled tiredly at the thought that perhaps I had just been spoiled.

The feeling of someone sitting on the edge of the bed made me aware of the fact that I had fallen asleep. I shifted instinctively to make it look as though I were moving in my sleep as I touched a hand to the dagger at my hip. I opened my eyes and looked over at what turned out to be my housecarl. Her closeness and the way she flinched back slightly upon noticing my newly opened eyes made me somewhat curious but my sleepy mind brushed it off as nothing.

I grunted slightly as I sat up and rubbed at the stiffness in my neck. Horns were a pain, when it came to sleeping. "Were you watching me sleep?" I asked with a tired chuckle and a yawn.

"I was...no, my Thane," she answered hastily and shook her head. I swore I saw a light blush colour her cheeks but thought nothing of it.

"Good. That would be kinda weird," I said and stretched. "How late is it?"

"Mid afternoon," she said, clearly thankful for a change in subject.

"Damn. That's a bit late to be travelling anywhere," I sighed.

"Where would we be going, my Thane?" she asked. I smiled slightly at the "we", though I wasn't entirely sure why.

"I don't know. What's east of here? Anything good?"

"Riften lies in the southeastern corner of Skyrim. I'd wager it would take us about two days, if we were hasty. Windhelm is much farther north, though it would probably take us about as long to get there."

"North sounds cold. I don't like cold. I've had enough of cold the past few days," I unconsciously shivered.

"Riften has a...reputation," her voice had a warning edge. "I'm not certain we'd leave the city with much coin left."

"So it's a colder version of Bravil. Sounds like fun," I laughed. "Alright, it's settled. We're going to Riften tomorrow."

I didn't much feel like mentioning that the Greybeards had told me to find something called the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. I had never been one for doing what I was told, though, and I figured that if I put it off for a few days or months or whatever then there really wasn't much they could do to stop me. I much preferred the idea of continuing to explore the country with my housecarl. It had been entertaining so far, at the very least.

Lydia looked none too happy with the decision but still nodded her agreement. "Very well, my Thane."

"Fantastic. I knew you'd be on board," I said and grinned like a fool at her sceptical look. I slipped my boots back on and pushed myself from the bed, filled with new energy at the prospect of travelling again, even if it wouldn't be that day. That did leave me with a question of what exactly I was going to do that day, however.

I looked at Lydia and clenched my teeth at the multitude of ways I suddenly imagined spending the rest of the day. And night. And probably most of the next day, if I wanted to get carried away. Before I let the pent up sexual frustration that came with spending ten or so days on a mountaintop get the better of me, I walked out of the room without really realizing I'd need a reason to do so. My eyes locked on to the innkeeper and felt quite relieved at having an excuse.

We exchanged curt nods before I decided against useless small talk and cut to what little business I had. "Heard about any work around here?" I asked.

"Some men from up north were in here about a bounty on some bandits hiding out in the old Mistwatch fort," Wilhelm responded in his thick Nord accent. "There's also been some...unsettling happenings up at Shroud Hearth Barrow recently. Some folks say it's haunted."

That certainly sounded like an adventure. "Want me to go check it out?" I offered quickly.

"You certainly look like the adventuring type," he said with an approving nod. "I'd be indebted to you if you sorted this whole mess out. News of the dragon around is hurting morale enough on its own."

"Sounds like fun," I chuckled and turned to see my housecarl approaching. She looked fully equipped for whatever foolish venture I'd managed to cook up. I had to actually laugh aloud at how well she was becoming accustomed to my habits. "We've got a job to do. Looks like we're gonna go crawling around a hole with some old bones."

"I see it doesn't take you very long to have a truly romantic evening lined up for us," Lydia deadpanned.

"With a lovely lady like yourself? I should hope not," I chuckled and turned back to the somewhat perturbed looking innkeeper. "So where's this barrow, now?"

"Just on the northeast side of town," he answered, suddenly looking very sceptical. "...Are you two...?" he started with some trepidation.

"Of course," I smirked. I very decidedly ignored his obvious intent with the question.

"He is my Thane," Lydia answered quite stiffly. I looked back at her with a raised brow before simply shrugging.

"Yes, there's that, too," I said flippantly before heading out the door. "Afraid of a little judgement?" I shot her an amused smile.

"That's...we're not..." she seemed rather flustered considering how little I thought of the joke. "You are my Thane," she finally said.

"Are relationships forbidden between a Thane and his housecarl?" I asked. "Out of genuine curiosity."

"They are...a complicated matter," she mumbled.

"More complicated than a relationship between an Argonian and a human?" I laughed at the way my question made her cheeks flare a little brighter. For a Nord soldier, Lydia could certainly be quite...feminine. "That situation is only as complicated as people decide it should be, though. In Black Marsh they're...accepted, if uncommon. Actually, that's a bad example; pretty much everything is accepted in Black Marsh." I was suddenly filled with a great desire to talk about my past home but kept my mouth shut lest I deafen my housecarl with my incessant chatter.

"Have you ever been in a relationship with a human?" she asked somewhat suddenly. Or at least suddenly enough for me to almost stumble.

"...No," I answered after a moment. It wasn't truly a lie. I had never actually been in any sort of committed relationship with a human. I absently noted that there needed to be more words in Common Cyrodiilic for "relationship".

We came upon the barrow before I was forced to answer anymore awkward questions. I pushed the needlessly large iron door open and curled my nose at the unfortunately familiar smell. "It's awful musty in here," I said offhandedly as I walked in. "Dead people need to learn to bathe."

Lydia gave me a look that told me she didn't think I was quite as funny as I did. "What? It isn't inconceivable. Draugr are fully capable of bathing themselves."

"I'm not entirely sure that's terribly high on their list of priorities," she said in an almost thoughtful voice. I could tell she was having a hard time not simply rolling her eyes at me. I chuckled quietly under my breath and agreed with her.

We pushed deeper through the dust and cobwebs, moving past tombs and sarcophagi. The place was generally unnerving. There was a chill in the air that I didn't remember being in Bleak Falls Barrow. I supposed that, to be fair, Ivarstead was a much colder place in general than Riverwood had been.

Past my trepidation, though, I felt a strange pull to go deeper into the crypt. There was something deep within the barrow that I needed beyond the simple desire for some adventure. I felt it in my blood.

We came upon what amounted to a fork in the hallways. "Stay away!" a sudden shout pulled my attention to my right. I looked up to see what looked like some apparition standing behind an iron gate. "Leave this place!" it called out before retreating further into the barrow.

"That was...bizarre," I remarked rather blandly. "Think it's actually a ghost?"

"It certainly looked like one," she sounded marginally more impressed than I did.

"We're not gonna know if we don't find a way through that gate," I muttered to myself and looked around. I noticed a side room down a hallway and figured that if there were any way through it was as good a chance as any.

Shuffling footsteps alerted me to an attacking draugr. The fact that it was attacking from the way we had come made me realize that it was a poor decision to ignore the many corpses and tombs we were passing by. I spun and drew my sword, though my left hand was left pawing at a scabbard I had forgotten was empty. "Shit," I cursed under my breath and raised my sword to catch my attacker's.

I was about to call upon my housecarl's aid when I noticed she was having her own troubles with another draugr. This one had been standing quite motionless only a few moments beforehand in one of the many tiny alcoves tucked along the sides of the passages.

For a beast with little more than rags of skin holding it together I was surprised at the draugr's strength. Our blades ground against each other, the screech of steel on steel echoing through the twisting passageways around us. After a moment I managed to twist the draugr's blade to the side and expose its ribs to a hard slash. Splinters of bone and tatters of ancient rags sprayed from where my sword had cleft through its side. The creature stumbled back from the blow and gave my sword room to seek its neck and separate its head from its shoulders. It collapsed to the ground with a clatter.

I turned to see Lydia fending off her attacker, though its persistence left her with little opening to counter it. I came up behind it with stealth I hadn't realized I possessed and brought my blade slashing down across its back. The blow wasn't meant to end the thing, only to distract it for my housecarl to finish off. Instead the sharpened edge of my steel carved a path through the dried, decrepit flesh and bone and left the draugr nearly in half. I looked up at Lydia with a surprised look as it hit the stone floor. "Apparently my sword's better than I've been giving it credit for."

She chuckled lightly in response while we sheathed our blades. "It would seem we must be more vigilant," she said after a moment.

"Yeah," I agreed. "Still, it's a pain in the ass to stab every dried out sack of bones we come across. This kind of problem never happens in Black Marsh."

"Because you butcher your dead?"

"Because we butcher our dead and toss them in the swamps to feed the local fauna, yes. Respectable dead people get used as mulch for the Hist trees," I chuckled at Lydia's poor attempt to disguise her unease. "Once someone's dead they're just meat. No sense in letting good fertilizer go to waste in some graveyard."

"Your people...look forward to being used that way?" she asked. We began making our way down the hallway not blocked off by an iron gate.

"The pious ones that worship the Hist, yeah. I'm sure mother dearest would just love to end up feeding one of them someday," I said and snapped my mouth shut after realizing I had mentioned a family member. I wasn't much looking forward to the inevitable questions.

"What exactly are the Hist?" Lydia questioned after a moment. I breathed a silent sigh of relief at not having been asked about my mother. "I've heard you swear to them as though they were gods."

I laughed aloud at that. "Gods? No, not even close, but don't tell half of Black Marsh that. They're really smart trees, to put it simply. I'm sure there are more than a few who would call me a blasphemer for referring to them that way, though. Most of Argonian society involves them in some way."

She nodded, apparently satisfied with what little I was willing to divulge about home for the moment. For all I enjoyed her curiosity, there were times she wanted to know about things I wasn't a big fan of talking about. Speaking about the Hist for too long had too high a chance of eventually involving talks of my more faithful family members.

It wasn't long before we found ourselves in a room with little noteworthy features beyond a set of three levers. The one on the far left was turned upwards while the other two were facing down. I looked over at Lydia with an unimpressed look. "Why were your ancestors such fans of convoluted puzzles?"

"The dead are often buried with valuables that we wish to keep safe from grave-robbers," she explained far too cheerily. I was certain she did it on purpose.

"Humans are strange. You dig really big holes, stuff them with a bunch of corpses, gold and gems, and then get offended when people try to put them to good use," I snorted as I inspected the levers. "What good are dead people going to do with valuables? Seems like that stuff would be more useful in the hands of the living."

"It's how we show respect."

"Part of me severely doubts your dead ancestors are going to care about being rich," I muttered and moved the second lever to an upright position. An iron gate slammed down at the entrance of the room we were in. "Part of me also severely doubts your dead ancestors are willing to show you the same respect you show them."

Without bothering to move the lever back - I had learned its purpose, after all - I decided to flip the last lever upwards. A quiet click set off very loud warning bells inside my head as instincts told me to get down. I grabbed Lydia and pulled her to the ground with me. I covered her body with my own without truly thinking that her armour was probably more durable than mine. Just over a dozen darts went flying above us, clattering uselessly against the far wall. What harm they would have done to us I didn't know and wasn't particularly willing to find out.

After the trap had finished itself I sighed in exasperation and looked down to find myself face to face with Lydia. Only then did I truly realize our position. Our faces were scant inches from each other and our were bodies pressed together as intimately as our armour would allow. I could feel her breath against my neck and when she shifted I noticed that my leg was wedged tightly between hers.

We stared at each other and I noticed her cheeks bloom a rosy pink that looked horribly out of place on a soldier but perfectly in place on a woman. An interesting paradox, I noted very absently. Despite the dust and dirt and decay all around us I was hit with an overwhelming urge to press my lips to hers and see just where the sudden tension in the air would take us. Her head tilted back and her lips parted just slightly and she looked so terribly feminine. She also looked like she wanted me to kiss her more than I did.

"There was a trap." Instead I shattered the moment like a porcelain doll.

She blinked a few times, the glassy look slowly vanishing from her eyes to be replaced with some slight confusion. Her lips moved several times, trying to speak words with no voice. "I...I noticed," she eventually managed.

"Good," I said in a very clipped voice and hastily scrabbled to my feet. I wanted to say something else. Anything to explain myself would have been better than the utter silence that surrounded us as I flipped the first two levers and opened both gates. I didn't even hear the screeching of the iron grinding its way through stone, though I was sure it made some sort of noise. "Let's go find our ghost."

I did my best not to notice the flaming red blush beating from her cheeks and neck. Crushing, awkward silence stretched between us as we walked down the hallways of the barrow. I found myself hoping for a horde of draugr to show up and distract us from each other.

We instead got a distraction in the form of our earlier apparition as we came upon yet another branching road. "I told you to leave!" he yelled before charging. I reacted without thought, flicking my sword from its sheathe and carving a valley through his ribs while I sidestepped his attack. Blood splattered across the cracked, dusty floor of the hallway and confirmed my doubts.

"So much for that whole ghost idea," I muttered as the blue glow faded from his skin to reveal a Dunmer. Judging from the light emanating from the room down the hall ahead of us I assumed it would lead to his camp. The way to our right was dark and damp.

I almost laughed at the difficulty of deciding between the two but eventually picked the Dunmer's camp. After spending what had to have been a long time in the barrow he had to have collected something of value.

There wasn't much beyond some scraps of old food, a dirty bedroll and a journal. I picked up the latter and flipped through the pages. The journal recounted how the Dunmer, apparently named Wyndelius Gatharian, had found the barrow and went rather insane while trying to find his way deeper. It mentioned something about a claw and a door and I immediately sighed in exasperation. "Find something, my Thane?" Lydia asked as I snapped the book shut.

"A question," I paused to give her time to nod. "Why were your bloody ancestors such fans of convoluted puzzles?"

* * *

><p>"...I'm not saying it isn't impressive. It's very impressive. It's an architectural and mechanical marvel," I shot back at my arguing housecarl as I spun one of the massive stone rings in the door before us. "So why is it wasted on protecting dead people that can get up and protect themselves? Seems like it'd be more use as a door on a fortress."<p>

"I don't know. I'm more curious as to how you're so aware of how to open it," for once Lydia's voice held a somewhat accusing edge.

"One day I decided that if I was going to make most of my money robbing dead bodies, I should at least get good at it," I snickered at her unimpressed look as I moved the last stone circle into place.

Or at least according to the claw Wilhelm had given me, it was the correct order. I had laughed aloud when he had presented it to me for taking care of his "ghost" problem. The Dunmer had gone insane trying to find the stupid thing and it was right in town in the possession of the very people he had been keeping out. The irony of the whole matter was highly entertaining.

"Honestly, I ran into one of these things right after coming to Skyrim. Bleak Falls Barrow, down by Riverwood. You've probably been there or know of it or something," I explained and unlocked the door with the claw. The old, disused stone ground noisily as the rings spun around and the door sunk into the floor. "In retrospect, it was actually a pretty important place to be at the time.'

"How so?" she asked curiously, her former offence to my habits of pillaging the dead forgotten for now.

"If I hadn't gone to Riverwood when I did I never would've been hired to find the family heirloom that turned out to be one of these keys," I waved the claw around to show her. "And if I hadn't done that, I never would have learned of my status as Dragonborn. It was the first place I ever found a word of a Thu'um."

"Thu'um?" Lydia looked at me, clearly perplexed. It suddenly occurred to me that I'd never used my power around her. She'd had no idea why I was the Dragonborn or what that entailed. She'd simply been told that's what I was and she was to follow me.

"If the opportunity arises I'll be sure to demonstrate it for you," I chuckled.

Aside from the odd draugr or skeleton jumping at us from whatever shadows they liked to hide in our trip through the barrow was rather dull. More than once one of us triggered some trap or another, though the worst that led to was me falling into a pool of water when the floor gave out from below my feet. "How is this more than an inconvenience?" I shouted angrily through the barred gate that I had just been standing on. It didn't occur to me immediately that without Lydia there was a good chance I wouldn't have been able to get out.

She laughed far too much at my grumbling while I tried desperately to shake the water from myself. It soon became infectious, however, and before long I found myself chuckling quietly at my own misfortune. I was glad that the tension between us had vanished. Travelling with her didn't seem like it'd be much fun if we couldn't even look at each other.

Despite our lack of fortune finding much of any value we pressed on, though that likely had more to do with my determination than any desire to explore the barrow on Lydia's part. I still felt that inexorable pull towards whatever lay at the most secret depths of the dusty, dark crypt. I had no idea what it could be that drew me onward. I just hoped that whatever it was ended up being worth my time.

Our trip finally reached some level of excitement when we came upon a great chamber somewhere deep within the barrow. A stone walkway stretched the length of the room, culminating at a massive tiered dais. The walkway and platform beyond were dotted with stone caskets that doubtlessly contained bodies none too intent on staying dead. The excitement came when a huge iron gate came crashing down between Lydia and me.

"Oh, there is no way that's a good sign," I groused aloud. "Stay there. I'm gonna look for a lever or something to open this. No sense-"

I was cut off by the sound of stone crashing against stone. I knew what lay behind me simply from the look on my housecarl's face. I turned, already drawing my sword to prepare for the inevitable battle that awaited me.

The three skeletons charging against me took me by surprise. The two archers on podiums on either side of the walkway didn't do much to alleviate my concerns much, either. I swore out loud and quickly cut the first skeleton meet me down. I was always grateful at how easily the fragile constructs broke apart. A single solid crack from any good weapon was usually enough to bring them down.

The sound of more coffins opening alerted me to an increasingly large horde of draugr headed my way. A cursory glance numbered them about five, though at least three more were climbing out of their tombs as their brethren advanced on me. "This is gonna get worse long before it gets better," I muttered and ducked out of the way of a pair of arrows.

A second skeleton dropped as I hacked out its knees before leaping over the side of the walkway. I landed in what turned out to be knee-deep water and hastily made my way towards the nearest archer. If I could get to the podium I knew I could force the draugr to attack me at most two at a time, which suited me a lot better than the eight I had coming for me.

The skeleton archer's slow reflexes made it mercifully easy prey when I reached it. A sharp pain flaring in my shoulder made me realize how complacent my small victories had made me. I yanked the arrow stuck in my flesh out and looked up to see the other archer readying another. "Let's give this another shot," I mumbled to myself and picked up the first archer's fallen bow.

The bow was clearly old and awkwardly weighted but I figured it was my best chance of removing the problem of the skeleton before the other undead finally caught up with me. My first shot went wide, clattering off the stone wall behind it. I had to jump to avoid its returned shot and nearly fell off the platform doing so. My next shot smashed through its dried, brittle ribs and made it recoil enough for my third to catch it in the spine and finally reduce it back to a disembodied pile of bones.

I turned back to the stairs leading up the platform just in time to see an oncoming draugr. I cracked it across the skull with the bow in my hands with enough force to send it tumbling back down the stairs, not that it did much to slow down the others behind it. It did, however, give me time to retrieve my sword and return to using a weapon I actually knew how to wield properly.

Between my blade and the flames I soon had leaping from my palm I destroyed four of the creatures and the last skeleton in short order. The first fell to a slash across the skull, as did the collected mass of bones immediately behind it. The next two were alight within seconds of my magical fire touching their dried, desiccated skin. I had to smirk at how easily their centuries-old flesh burned. It was like taking sparks to tinder. The draugr I had sent back down came at me again, but this time I was much more prepared for it and cleft it nearly in two with a double-handed swing of my blade.

The last three - clearly the ones I had seen exited their coffins last - were far tougher than their earlier cohorts. When I tried to burn one it countered with a quick blast of ice and biting cold wind that I was forced to avoid. A second came charging at me in my moment of weakness and had me backed up to the edge of the podium in seconds. I blocked and parried its surprisingly powerful blows until eventually there was a chance for me to remove its sword arm. Part of me should have known that my sword would bind in its bones when I slammed it into its side.

The last draugr attacked at my most vulnerable. I took the beast's slash across my gauntlets and fell off the platform. The stinging in my forearms told me that although the chain coated leather had saved me from grievous harm it still hadn't stopped the blade entirely. I landed with a great splash in the water and still hit the bottom hard enough to knock the air from my lungs. I scrambled to my feet and saw the first draugr already coming at me through the water. There was no way I could hope to turn an outrun it and I wasn't in any position to fight it unarmed.

Instead I turned and finally used what I had been repeatedly told was a gift from the gods. "Wuld," my Voice echoed through the cavernous hall and carried me to the stone walkway. Ten days on a frozen mountaintop surrounded by old people and biting wind had apparently paid off enough to save my life when I really needed it to. I stumbled and fell to the cobblestone as I came to a stop from my Shout. "Still needs some work," I chuckled humorlessly and snatched up the nearest fallen sword. It was terribly weighted and dull but any weapon was better than none at all at that point.

I hopped to my feet and turned with a swing at the draugr I knew would be there. It caught the blade against the haft of its axe but there was enough strength behind the blow to send it staggering back. The sight of the undead beast stumbling back set my body afire with renewed energy and I chased it down, raining blows upon it until it eventually broke under the assault and my sword carved a jagged path through its neck and out its armpit.

Battle lust rushed through my veins and I felt rational thought slip more and more from my mind. The pinnacle of my stupidity came when I looked at the two oncoming draugr with a fiendish grin and threw the sword in my hands with all my might at one of them. I somehow managed to surprise a walking corpse and what should have been an utter failure ended up shattering of their skulls into dust and shards of bone.

I picked up the axe from my previously fallen foe and waited for the last to come charging at me. A moment of clarity broke through the red haze of my blood lust and a relative stroke of genius gave me the bright idea to simply let loose my own torrent of ice. The soaking wet draugr froze in place, allowing me to quite leisurely walk down the stairs and smash it to pieces with the axe in my hands.

Just as I moved to brag to my housecarl about my unlikely success one last grinding of stone caught my attention. I looked up at the very top of the dais to behold the horrifying sight of one last draugr. This one, though, was clad in thick, heavy plate armour. A horned helmet sat atop its skeletal head and a massive two-handed sword hung from its hands. "Oh, fuck," I cursed as my eyes went wide.

It yelled something in some ancient tongue I couldn't understand but somehow sounded eerily familiar before shuffling down the steps towards me with surprising quickness. Hoping for the same dumb luck to strike twice in one night, I sent the axe in my hands hurtling towards the approaching monster. It knocked the improvised projectile aside without the slowing down in the slightest. I cursed again, scrambled to grab the last sword laying on the ground at my feet and jumped out of the way of the first swing of its great sword. Likewise, it showed remarkable agility for something without much in the way of muscle left as it ducked and dodged my hasty counter attack.

For several minutes the fight continued in much the same way. Each avoided the worst of the other's attacks, though each of us landed a few glancing blows here and there. Unfortunately my armour was deteriorating faster than its was. The fight took a terrible turn for the worse when I finally took a solid blow to my guarding sword and was sent falling back to land on the hard cobblestone.

"Fus Ro!" I Shouted without the thought to do ever really registering in my mind. The draugr lord fell just as I had, though I rose to my feet faster. A blast of fire from my palm engulfed the thing's body. I figured that if my flames could burn a troll to char this thing didn't stand a chance.

I was proven quite wrong when it stood up, looking all the more terrifying for being wreathed in flames. Time slowed to a crawl as it swung its blade in a great overhead arc, clearly intent to slice me from stem to gudgeon. I sidestepped the attack just in time and hacked its arms off at the elbow. I slashed the ancient blade across its chest and sent the draugr once more sprawling onto its back. The blade in my hands shattered from the impact of hitting its heavy plate armour.

I wasted no time in retrieving its former weapon. The sword was weighty and cumbersome, but I didn't much care. I still had enough strength in my body to swing it in an arc not unlike the one it had just tried to end me with. My swing proved more successful, burying the blade deeply enough into its neck and chest that it was quite unwilling to extricate itself from the draugr's thick breastplate.

My muscles finally gave up on trying to support me and gave out, causing me to drop to my hands and knees on the hard stone walkway. I sucked in great gulps of air and became suddenly aware of the injuries my body had suffered. Blood dripped from slashes in my armour at various points across my body, dotting the grey stone beneath me with red splashes.

"My Thane!" I heard Lydia shout from behind me. "Kai!" the use of my name drew my attention enough for me to push myself back to my feet and turn to face her.

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you," I called back and made my unfortunately slow way back to the iron gate she was locked behind. I found a chain next to the door hidden in a small crack in the rock wall and gave it a sharp tug. The gate slid back open with a loud whine. I winced slightly at the sound ringing in my ears.

My housecarl walked to me with surprising haste. She looked about ready to hug me but stopped herself just short, leaving her looking tense and uncertain. "I...I am glad you are alive, my Thane," she said after a brief silence.

"Yeah, same here," I chuckled with a slightly pained gasp.

I hopped off the walkway, long past caring about how wet I was from the waist down. I made my way to the platform and retrieved my sword from its place in the draugr's ribs when I noticed what sounded like voices in the air. "You hear that?" I asked and looked around for the source. It sounded vaguely familiar, though I couldn't be too sure where I had heard it before.

"Hear what?" she sounded confused.

"Those voices. Sounds like someone's chanting," I said and started jogging down the walkway towards the other end of the room. My body was less than pleased with the idea but I was too fixated on the sound to pay much attention to either it or Lydia's response.

I passed by the draugr lord's tomb and couldn't help but shiver. It was large and ornate and for the first time I noticed it was made of metal, rather than stone. The lack of rust made me wonder if it had been gold or bronze in its day, as it was now too tarnished and dull to tell. Whatever it had been made of it wasn't enough to keep the dead locked away.

Behind the sarcophagus was an iron door fixed into the rock. It opened with surprising ease and I found myself staring at the source of the chants. It was another wall scribed in the runes I had learned were written in the dragon's language, similar to the one I had discovered in Bleak Falls Barrow. The runes etched into the rock here were different, though. I traced my fingers along the glowing set at the centre.

The rush of raw knowledge into my mind didn't catch me off guard as it had the first time. Words didn't touch my lips as they had before, however. Instead the runes just danced before my eyes for a moment until they faded away. "Guess I have to kill a dragon now," I frowned and spun to see my housecarl approach.

She looked concerned, or at least perplexed by my behaviour. "Sorry," I scratched the back of my neck nervously. "Part of the whole Dragonborn thing, I guess."

"Is this wall why we came down here?" she asked.

"Not originally, no," I shook my head. "Though I will admit that it's probably why I've been wanting to go deeper into this place since I got here. Guess you really can't fight fate," I said with a short sigh. I really didn't like that idea. Fighting fate was the main reason I had left home.

* * *

><p>AN: So this chapter has been written and rewritten and revised more times than I care to count. Believe me, I'm as pissed as you are that it took this long to finally write the fucking thing. But at least it finally has been finished. The next one shouldn't take quite so long to write since I'm a lot less unsure of exactly what's going to be in it. As always, though, if you like (or hate) what you've read don't hesitate to leave me a review and if it demands a response I'll be sure to get back to you at my earliest convenience.


	13. Chapter 13

I sat up with a groan and a yawn. My fingers dug into my neck in an attempt to loosen my knotted muscles. "I hate having horns sometimes," I murmured and yawned again. I wondered briefly how late in the day it was, though I guessed it couldn't have been much past dawn since Lydia was still sleeping in the room's bed. I smirked at the thought of how unfair that was.

I grabbed the edge of her blanket and gave it a sharp tug. "Wakey, wakey, eggs and..." I stopped short upon seeing her surprisingly naked body.

She opened her eyes and gave me a tired glare. I had to give her credit on seeming quite nonchalant about being nearly nude in the same room as me for the night. Male pride decided that she couldn't be the only one. "I don't know about you, but I'm grabbing something to eat before we hit the road," I said and tossed the blanket back to her. I hoped that she hadn't noticed the way my eyes had drank her body in or the effect would probably ruined.

"That's one of the best plans you've ever had, my Thane," she hid her sarcastic tone behind a tired yawn.

"Had to happen someday," I chuckled as I pulled my tunic and boots on. I decided against even bothering with the shredded remains of leather and chain that had once been my gauntlets. I set about buckling the various straps that held my armour together as I left the room.

Within a few minutes I was sitting at a table in the main hall of the inn across from my housecarl. We were both enjoying a plate full of what we had been told were eggs and venison. The scrambled white and yellow mass dotted with bits of grey looked a lot less appetizing than it ended up being to an empty stomach. I had learned from years of travelling not to argue with food that was actually cooked and on a plate. Being an Argonian had the handy side benefit of giving me a tough stomach but even I could be taken down by bad meat, especially when it was half-raw.

The whole situation felt so completely ordinary that it let me forget about the whole Dragonborn business for a while. I could even put the tightness of my Thane's badge out of my mind for a few minutes. I was back to being just another lizard wandering the roads, though the company was a little odd. Still, it wasn't a bad thing to have something a little different. Just so long as it didn't mean I actually mattered to the grand scheme of the world.

The feeling of gravel and cobblestone beneath my feet as we walked down the road helped relax me, as well. As we distanced ourselves from Ivarstead and by extension High Hrothgar, I felt my worries slowly ease away. We were even getting farther from Whiterun as we headed east. Before long the badge on my arm would be meaningless. I'd well and truly be back to being someone completely inconsequential.

I pulled the bounty notice I had picked up from Wilhelm from a small pocket in my armour. "Do you happen to know where Mistwatch Keep is?" I asked Lydia, breaking what had to be almost two hours of silence.

"I am afraid not, my Thane," she shook her head. "I'm not familiar with this part of Skyrim. I've never travelled too far from Whiterun."

"Damn. Should've gotten Wilhelm to mark it on my map," I sighed. "I remember him saying something about north, though. He may have been talking about something else entirely, for all I know, but it's worth a shot."

"Why are we trying to find this place? Is the bounty really so high?"

"It's...uh..." I paused and looked at the piece of parchment. It hadn't actually occurred to me to check how valuable it was. Raiding a bandit den just sounded like fun. "...Five hundred septims, plus whatever we raid from the bandits."

"We still haven't sold all the valuables we collected from the last nest of thieves we cleared out," Lydia reminded me quite sternly.

"Yeah, well...we'll have room in the packs. And they'll have packs or coin purses or something. It's about the experience more than the reward, anyway. Where's your sense of adventure?"

"Apparently back at the inn," she said with a sigh but didn't protest the matter anymore.

"I'm sure we'll find something there to make it worth our while," I chuckled. "Besides, it isn't like we have anything better to do. I just want to start wandering east for the sake of wandering somewhere."

"You really have no plan or destination?" she sounded genuinely surprised.

"Not in the slightest, no," I shook my head. "I find life is vastly more entertaining when it's spent just kinda...wandering around."

"There's something to be said for the freedom of it," she agreed.

We walked down the road in relative silence, as was becoming commonplace for us. Every so often one of us would spark up an inane conversation and we'd pass a few minutes that way. I couldn't help but think about how enjoyable it really was to just wander the roads with Lydia. It was relaxing not to have any kind of plan. Just as she had said, there truly was something to be said for the freedom of it, especially after the time I had spent on High Hrothgar being told what I was supposed to be.

I stopped walking and looked to the sky as a cold tingle ran down the back of my neck. "My Thane?" Lydia asked and looked at me with what could only be described as concern.

I was about to shake it off and tell her it was probably nothing when a thundering roar echoed around the surrounding mountains and hills. I cursed and drew my sword the instant it hit me where I knew that sound from. I wasn't entirely certain my sword was going to do much good.

The dragon crashed to the ground before us and let loose a second roar. I saw Lydia's eyes go wide in shock and fear. I couldn't blame her. I was probably at least as terrified as she was. I just had the benefit of having faced one of these beasts before.

A stream of flame forced us to split apart and dash to opposite sides of the road. We both had the same idea of trying to flank the dragon and avoid its deadly jaws and fire, though that was far easier said than done. It snapped at us, keeping us well out of range of our blades. When Lydia got a bit too far around to its side for its liking it swiped at her with a wing. She took the blow on her shield but it was more than enough to knock her off her feet.

I expected it to attack her while she was vulnerable, so I was rather surprised when it turned its attention on me. I ducked a snapping bite and slashed my sword across the bottom of its jaw. It recoiled with a sharp howl and opened its maw with the clear intent to let loose another blast of fire at me. Some foolish thought possessed me and caused me to drop my sword in lieu of focusing the single flame spell I knew in my palms. For some reason it made sense to me to literally fight fire with fire.

"Yol!" I heard what had to be the dragon's voice echo from its throat and throw forth its fires. My fire spell leapt from my hands at the same time and the two forces collided between us. I poured every last bit of my magical power into the spell and silently prayed that it would be enough to hold off the beast's Thu'um. Within seconds, however, my own flames were pushed back until the dragon's were inches from my hands. The scales of my palms burned painfully and a harsh tongue of fire flicked past them to scorch across my shoulder. The smell of burnt leather wafted past my nose and the flesh there lit up in agony.

Whether or not I would have lasted much longer on my own became a moot point as Lydia drove her sword into the dragon's ribs. It shrieked in pain and slapped her away with its tail, its quarrel with me temporarily forgotten. I likely should have been far more concerned about the safety of my housecarl but I was too consumed by pain and battle lust to think so rationally.

"Fus Ro!" I Shouted at the dragon's turning back. The force of my Voice was strong enough to send it skidding across the road and well away from Lydia.

It rose up on its haunches and let out a deafening roar. It spoke something in its language, though the only word I truly caught was "Dovahkiin".

"How nice of you to notice," I called back. I had no idea if it understood Common Cyrodiilic or not and didn't really care. If it was going to yell at me in a language I didn't know I felt vindicated returning the favour.

The dragon spread its wings wide and made to take flight. In doing so, though, it exposed its stomach and the underside of its neck. I picked my sword up off the ground as an idea hit me. "Wuld!" my Voice carried me the short distance to the beast in an instant. I drove my sword into the base of dragon's throat and tore it to the side. Pain screamed up my arms from my hands as my burns dug into the rough leather that wrapped around the hilt of my sword. A torrent of blood poured from the wound and streamed over me. I leapt out of the way of the corpse as it tumbled to the ground. "And now I'm filthy. Wonderful," I grumbled and sheathed my weapon.

Remembering Lydia's earlier blows I hastily turned and prepared to run over and see if she was okay only to find her slowly approaching me. She didn't look terribly injured, though I imagined her shield arm was either numb or very sore. "My Thane!" Lydia actually sounded concerned. "Are you hurt?"

"A little," I admitted with a pained hiss. As the rush of battle left me I became extraordinarily aware of my burned hands and shoulders. "Nothing a quick spell won't fix, though. Thanks for being such an outstanding distraction. You okay?"

Before she could answer a familiar sound caught my ears. We turned to see the dragon's flesh burning away. The embers leapt away in tendrils of glowing energy that very quickly lashed out and coiled around me. It felt like I had just taken a punch to the stomach and I likely would have dropped to the ground were it not for Lydia catching me and holding me steady. My mind was flooded with the dragon's knowledge and the word from Shroud Hearth Barrow became instantly clear.

I shook my head to clear it of the glowing runes dancing behind my eyes. "I'm really hoping that gets easier someday," I muttered quietly.

"What was that?" it didn't sound as though my housecarl's concern had been lessened.

"Unpleasant," I answered.

She frowned at my vague response as I stepped back. Strength had returned to my muscles and I didn't much feel like leaning on her for any longer than I had to. "Your eyes were glowing," she said suddenly.

"Really?" I blinked a few times. "Honestly didn't know that happened when I absorbed a dragon's soul."

"That's what that was?" Lydia's voice held no small amount of genuine surprise.

I nodded. "Yeah. Whenever I kill a dragon, I take its soul and memories and that's how I learn how to speak their language so quickly." I chuckled at my housecarl's somewhat confused and concerned expression. "Or at least, that's what the Greybeards told me. Now I know what the word I learned in that crypt means and how to properly speak it."

She didn't ask me to elaborate and I didn't much feel like explaining. I actually considered it somewhat useless, at least in comparison to the other two Shouts I knew. Being able to throw a man off his feet or sprint great distances in seconds seemed a lot more useful than calming down animals. Still, I supposed that in a pinch I could probably use it to keep a bear or sabre cat from mauling me.

I quickly tended to my hands, pressing a healing spell in between them to heal both palms simultaneously. We walked while I worked on my shoulder. I silently lamented how damaged my armour had become in the relatively short time I had owned it. The gauntlets were long gone and if this dragon business kept up I'd be without a tunic soon, too. I didn't much relish the thought of wandering around Skyrim completely shirtless. It was far too cold.

I glanced over at my housecarl and smirked to myself. Then again, maybe the entertainment would prove worthwhile. I was beginning to think more and more that maybe our innocent flirtation back and forth should stop being so innocent. Unfortunately, I was still uncertain of whether or not Lydia agreed on that point. I didn't want to make any kind of advances on her without being certain that it would be reciprocated. If she wanted something to happen, she'd very likely need to be the one who made the first move.

A slight frown pulled at the corners of my lips. My experiences with humans were screwing with me, I thought to myself. With other Argonians there was never any doubt as to whether or not the female was interested. The signs for either were natural and I knew them instinctively. With humans, I didn't know how to tell.

I let the thoughts drift to the back of my mind as we crested a hill and what I assumed to be our destination came within sight. It was a trio of towers standing atop a large hill overlooking something akin to a valley. I assumed there were hot springs on the valley floor by the smell of sulphur and the layer of mist. I also assumed that was what had given the fort its name. I hoped that after we were done with the bandits in the fort I could jog down and wash away the dragon's blood.

"Think this is the right place?" I asked as we approached.

"We've certainly travelled far enough to be in Eastmarch by now," she said with a satisfied nod.

I figured Eastmarch was just another section of the country and probably where the bounty notice had come from. I pondered over how to confirm the bounty as we approached. I wasn't much in the mood for carrying a head with me to whatever city ruled over the area, especially if it took more than a day or so to reach there. Maybe the Jarl would simply take my word for it, I wondered and laughed aloud at the thought of some pompous Nord actually believing an Argonian at his word.

As we got closer I began to see how dilapidated the fortress really was. I thought dimly that nearly every fort in Skyrim was dilapidated and crumbling. "Why are none of these actually, you know...occupied?" I asked my housecarl. "I mean by people other than bandits."

"I'm not entirely sure," she said with a shrug. "You don't have abandoned forts and strongholds in Black Marsh?"

"Not really, no. Probably a couple around Soulrest or Blackrose, but anything that gets abandoned just ends up being taken by the swamp. Hard for bandits to haunt a place already inhabited by fen snakes and gloomwidows," I answered. Lydia's curious eyes silently asked me to continue. "Really big snakes and spiders. And by big...a full grown gloomwidow is about three or four times bigger than the biggest frostbite spider I've seen here. It's literally a spider the size of a house."

My housecarl's shudder didn't escape my notice. "What could they possibly feed on?" she asked with a bit of revulsion lining her voice.

"Pretty much anything stupid enough to get caught in its web," I shrugged and chuckled. "Luckily they don't leave their webs so you really can just walk right past without it giving a damn."

Further conversation was halted as we came upon the structure's gates. Or the broken arch that had once held the gates. The wood itself had long rotted away to nothing, leaving quite the open invitation to any who would dare enter. I walked straight through, despite the rather disbelieving look my housecarl shot me.

My eyes flickered around the courtyard. There were two men to the side, sitting on a set of stone stairs leading up to a walkway. The walkway ran around the inside of the walls and would have led to the doors of the fort were the bridge not raised. A female stood before the door across from the raised bridge with a bow sitting next to her foot. Movement from behind the bridge alerted me to one last man close to the lever that I assumed would drop it.

The men on the ground level stood from their spot on the stairs. "Excuse me, but you wouldn't mind helping a lost traveller find his way, would you?" I asked with a smile. I felt warmth spread across my palm as I readied my flame spell. I quite forcibly pushed away the thought that it felt just like the dragon's fires burning my skin.

"You picked a bad place to get lost, lizard," one of the men sneered at me.

"Oh? This isn't Mistwatch?" I asked, feigning ignorance. My muscles tensed like coiled springs, though I did my best to keep a relaxed appearance. I heard Lydia's steps as she walked up behind me. "That would be an awful shame, being as there's quite a bounty on that place."

If the bandits' reactions were anything to go by we were in the right place. Both the men before me drew their blades and made to lunge at me. My spell spat fire from my hand to torch one while I flicked my own sword from its sheathe to block the other. I barked an order at Lydia to get the bridge down so we could deal with the archer. She ran ahead to deal with the third man while I contended with my remaining foe.

Our swords were locked together for a moment before I let my wrist go slack and stepped to the side. The bandit stumbled forward from the force he was using to hold my sword away from his skin. A quick flick brought the tip of my blade across his throat. The move was simple, obvious and one of the first I had been taught years before. No one who actually knew what he was doing with a weapon would fall for it, but then I knew most bandits weren't the most skilled swordsmen.

I raced up the stairs as Lydia impaled her opponent. She brought her shield up in time to deflect another arrow from the archer across the way. It clattered to the ground along with about half a dozen others. I gave the bridge's lever a swift kick and watched it fall into place. Within seconds I was across the span and cutting down the woman while she frantically tried to open the door. A strangled plea for mercy was halfway through her lips as my sword carved through her back.

We wasted no time in rushing inside. I expected to find more enemies but all that faced me was an empty hall. There was a large wooden door at the end of the hallway, though what concerned me most was the single room just before it. I couldn't help but feel that an ambush was waiting for the moment I passed by it. Instead a man walked out to stop me and I very nearly cleft his head from his shoulders. I saw that he was dressed in simple clothes, however, rather than any kind of armour. He looked middle-aged but then very nearly everyone in Skyrim did to me. It occurred for a brief moment that I was terrible at judging how old humans were.

"You're...you're not bandits, are you?" he asked hastily. "You're not with this gang?"

"No, but that doesn't mean it wasn't an immensely stupid idea to just jump out in front of me," I frowned at him. He stood about half a head shorter than me, so it wasn't much trouble to intimidate him a little. "What if I was one of the bandits? What would you have done?"

"I assumed that the bandits wouldn't come charging into their own fort, looking ready for a fight," he countered. After seeing I wasn't hostile he didn't seem particularly bothered by my height advantage or weapons. Or the blood covering me from my earlier fights. "Look, if you're not one of them then I need your help. You look like you're fighting them anyway."

"That depends entirely on what kind of help you're asking for," my frown deepened. Something about this told me I wasn't going to be getting paid much for helping this man.

"It's my wife, Fjola. I think she's being held in this tower," he explained. "She left the farm months ago on an errand and never came back. I heard a rumour that these bandits were kidnapping people for ransom." He let out a tired sigh. "I managed to sneak past the guards and get this far, but I don't think I can keep going. I'm no warrior."

"What makes you think she's here?" Lydia asked from behind me.

"The kidnappings started around the time she disappeared and I've looked countless other places. It's the only hope I've got right now."

"Well, we are already here to clear this place out for a bounty," I mused. "Alright. I'll help you, so long as it means I get paid."

I saw the man tense up for a moment before he let out another sigh. "Very well. I don't have much to give, but I'll give you what coin I can. Oh, and take this key. One of the guards dropped it while I hid. It'll probably come in handy," he said as he handed me a worn iron key.

I slipped the key into a pocket in my armour and motioned to my housecarl to move on. The key as immediately useful, since it was actually for the door right at the end of the hall. "Might come in handy, indeed," I chuckled dryly and pushed the door open.

We were greeted on the other side by a pair of bandits leaning against the wall next to the door. Before he could reach for his weapon I had slammed one's head against the stone wall. The blow stunned him enough to give me a chance to very quickly twist his neck. The dull snap told me that I had done a good enough job that I needn't worry about his retaliation.

I turned to see Lydia's sword sticking from the other man's chest. He had clearly meant to sneak up on me and in turn had been impaled from behind by my housecarl. "We're getting good at this," I said with a wide grin.

The rest of the tower proved empty and we eventually came to a ladder that led to the roof. The sun was still bright outside and I couldn't help but wish it were raining so some of the gore may be washed off my skin and armour. I looked down at the torn up leather and chain haphazardly hanging onto me. "Or what's left of my armour, anyway," I mumbled quietly to myself.

"My Thane?" Lydia's questioning voice caught my attention as we walked along the ramparts connecting the towers.

"My armour's kinda tattered," I answered. "I'm pretty sure the only thing holding it on anymore is what's left of the left shoulder and some of the straps on the side. I don't think it's gonna last much longer." I looked back at her with a slight frown. "How come your armour isn't all torn up and burnt like mine?"

"I don't dive headfirst into every fight," she replied with a slightly incredulous look. "Nor do I stand in front of dragons while they breath fire."

"Hey, it isn't as though I had much chance to get out of the way," I grumbled. "Though I am immensely thankful my sword didn't break in that fight."

I shut my mouth as we opened the door to the next tower. Inside I could smell fires and cooked food. I tightened my grip on my blade and whispered to Lydia to stay put for a moment while I took a look around. If we were lucky, she might even be able to get the drop on someone if they attacked me.

I didn't have to wait long for such an occurrence. Within seconds of entering the room I had to duck an axe being swung at my head. My sword drove into the man's stomach through his thin hide armour and I didn't even bother trying to extract it. I knew it was jammed on bone and the orc behind him swinging a massive battleaxe at me wasn't likely to give me a chance to work my blade out of his friend's spine.

I took the blow on the bandit's corpse and stumbled back from the hit. As luck would have it, the force knocked my sword loose and I let the body drop to free the blade. "I've got this one. Get the archer over there!" I barked at my housecarl as she approached from the orc's side. I had noticed a third man nocking an arrow to his bow while the orc had been trying to cleave me in two.

There wasn't much I could do with my single sword, I quickly realized as the head of the orc's axe left a shallow gouge in the side of my tunic. I picked up the first man's axe and tried to get a shot in while my enemy was vulnerable. Unfortunately I had next to no experience with using axes in battle; so far in my life all I had used were various swords and daggers. I didn't know how to control the extra weight or radically different balance.

The bandit and I worked on dodging each other, neither of us terribly keen on the idea of actually getting in too close. Regrettably for me, however, the reach of the bandit's weapon exceeded mine by over a foot. I realized too late that he had backed me into a corner between two tables and a wall at my back.

I blocked his mighty downward swing with my weapons crossed before me. The edge of the blade still reached far enough to cut into my shoulder, slicing through what little leather and metal still held my armour together. With little other chance for getting out of the poor situation, I let my legs give out and hit the ground on my ass. I shot my foot out to slam my heel into the orc's groin and hacked the axe in my hand into the side of his thigh. Whether the former actually made any difference towards dropping his guard didn't matter so much as how satisfying it was to land a solid blow.

His battleaxe hit the ground to free his hands so he could grab me by the shreds of my armour. I was lifted clear of the ground and slammed onto the hard wood of one of the nearby tables. I had to give the orc credit on not only lifting me but being able to do it with a wounded leg and crushed testicles. It occurred that maybe the latter hadn't done as much to slow him down as it did to spur his rage.

The sword and axe in my hands clattered again the stone floor so I could try and fend off the brute choking me against a table. I didn't hesitate to jam one of my thumbs knuckle deep into his eye socket. The soft organ exploded from my claw piercing its delicate flesh and blood flooded down my hand and wrist. His deafening roar of rage and pain was twisted into a garbled mess when a lightning spell burst from the hand gripping his skull. My other hand grabbed the other side and between the two the orc's head was roasted in electric fire.

I tossed his body off as he finally went limp and pushed myself to my feet despite how much the fight had exhausted me. There was no telling how many others had shown up and I couldn't leave Lydia on her own. I caught sight of her just as she bashed the last man standing with her shield so she could impale him while he lay prostrate on the floor.

What looked to be the last of them was swinging a sword in a wide overhead arc at me. I silently lamented checking for threats to my own well-being after Lydia's but didn't give it much thought after catching his blade against my forearm. The dull sword didn't cut past the bone but still had enough force to send me stumbling back over the orc's corpse and cursed as I once more hit the floor. Pain raced up my arm and I was forcibly reminded of the use of wearing gauntlets, regardless of how damaged. Flames leapt from my palm to engulf my attacker, though his metal armour kept them from staying for long. My tail swept out his legs from under him. I was back on my feet in an instant and the sword biting through the flesh of his exposed neck never gave him the chance to do the same.

"Is that all of them?" I asked and coughed, bringing a hand up to rub at my sore throat. The orc had a vicious grip.

"I believe so," she nodded and sheathed her sword while I did the same. It was then that I noticed the thin trickle of blood running down her arm, as well as a fresh notch in her armour.

"You're hurt," I noted with a frown. I quickly made my way over to my pack at the doorway.

"Not as badly as you are," she spoke from behind me. I assumed she was referring to the ugly, jagged gash in my shoulder and the deep cut in my arm.

"Most of the blood on me isn't mine," I waved her off. I was glad I was facing away from her so she wouldn't see me wince at the pain of using that arm. I grabbed the pack and turned to see her approach. How did she get so sneaky? I briefly wondered.

Lydia bared her wound to me. In truth, it wasn't terribly serious, just a slice running from the back of her upper arm around to the front of her elbow. It had probably been from a blow from her unshielded side while she was taking care of the archer. The cut was already scabbing over from the surprisingly dry air inside the fort. "You need any medical supplies more than I do, my Thane."

I was curious why she didn't simply suggest I use my magic to heal myself. As much as I may have liked to I was far too drained from my constant use of magic throughout the day. If I tried to use any more I was liable to faint. "I'll bandage myself up if you make sure to take care of your arm," I said. I wasn't terribly sure why I was bargaining for whether or not to treat my injuries.

My housecarl frowned at me, likely as unsure as to my reasoning as I was. "If that is your wish, my Thane," her voice carried something akin to scepticism. She reached for the bag but I lightly batted her hand away.

"I'll take care of it. Come on; I need you sitting somewhere," I motioned with my head to one of the tables. It had a chair that actually hadn't been knocked over or destroyed by the fight sitting nearby.

Lydia sat down and fixed me with a quizzical stare when I told her to remove her bracer. "It's in the way," I said simply. The cut in her arm ran disappeared just under the top of her gauntlet and if I was going to bandage the whole thing the metal plating would need to be gone.

"I still don't see why you have to do this, my Thane."

I didn't bother answering her. I simply stood next to her and stared down at her until she let out a defeated sigh and did as I asked. It took me less than a minute to get her arm bandaged up. After the dozens of times I had taken care of my own injuries - mostly due to sheer negligence of my magical talent - working on another person's wounds was a snap. The crisp, clean white cloth wrapped around her arm would keep her cut protected until it healed.

I stood back up and looked down at what remained of my hardened leather tunic. Bits of chain dangled from it in various patches. The right shoulder was gone completely, burned away by the dragon's fire. The left shoulder still had a frayed strip of leather holding it together that was biting into the bloody ravine carved into my skin. Only one of the straps still remained at the side to keep my armour in place, and even that had been sliced almost halfway through by some foe's blade. All in all, I had to say that it was well past any kind of serviceable state.

I muttered quietly and quickly tore away what remained of the fragments keeping it on. The fact that they gave to my own strength made me feel justified in ridding myself of what was left. The brutalized and blood-soaked armour hit the stone floor with an underwhelming rattle of broken metal and torn leather. I was somewhat sad to see the armour that had more or less lasted me since arriving in Skyrim go, but its time was done.

Lydia and I changed places and she hastily set to patching me up. She murmured something about stitches but I waved her off. My wounds would probably be almost healed by the time we arrived in Riften. It took longer for my housecarl to tend to my various injuries than it had for me to work on hers but I didn't really mind. I was happy to let our little excursion wait a few minutes while we licked our wounds. I was feeling fairly confident that we had dealt with every bandit in the fort. Still, the fact that we hadn't run into the missing Fjola was somewhat troubling.

Just as the thought crossed my mind I noticed a scrap of paper sitting on the table next to me. I held my arm out for Lydia to work on the still-bleeding cut between my elbow and wrist while I picked up the small note with the other hand. I mumbled the words quietly to myself, though I was cut off by my own hiss of pain when Lydia poured some antiseptic fluid over my cut. "Find something interesting, my Thane?" she asked with some exaggerated innocence. She was actually enjoying making me flinch.

"Our missing wife may be dead," I said and tossed the note back on the table. "I'm gonna be a little miffed if she is. I don't think that Christer guy is gonna be too keen on paying us if we don't bring his woman back." I hissed again when she gave the bandage around my arm a harsh tug to tighten it.

"We haven't explored the entire keep yet," my housecarl reminded me with a firm voice.

"I know. I was just saying," I muttered and rubbed at my aggravated wound. When I stood and made to move on Lydia cleared her throat to catch my attention.

"Aren't you a little under dressed?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A little, but there isn't exactly a replacement set of armour handy," I said and shrugged lightly. "If you see a shirt that looks like it'll fit me, by all means be sure to mention it to me and I'll be sure to cover up." A smirk pulled at my lips and I couldn't help but tease my housecarl a little. "Unless of course you'd rather I continue walking around half-naked and swathed in bandages."

The slightest dusting of pink settled on her cheeks before she brushed past me mumbling something I couldn't make out. I was surprised at how much I had to restrain myself from making further advances on her. I had decided that if anything were going to happen between us it would be her who made the first move. I wasn't confident enough with humans to try such a thing, despite my past accidental successes. I had to frown at myself at the thought that I was willing to stand in front of a dragon's fire without fear but refused to approach a woman.

I was saved from walking further down that embarrassing trail of thought by the discovery of a woman's body. "Do you think that's Fjola?" Lydia asked as I walked over to the corpse.

I crouched down next to the body and looked it over. I picked up its left hand and inspected the fingers. "I don't think this is her," I said and stood back up. "Her fingers have never had a ring on them. There are no callouses or scars between them." I walked past my housecarl on the way to the stairs that led to the top of the tower.

We found the rest of the building to be deserted. A heavy wooden door led to the balcony connecting the second and fourth towers and we walked outside to see that it was just breaking into afternoon. I was surprised; I had expected it to be night time for some reason. I figured that it seemed weird because most of my adventures tended to end by nightfall. A small smirk spread across my face at the thought that by noon I had already killed a dragon and broken into a bandit hideout to kill the inhabitants and collect a bounty. My life had gotten rather exciting since coming to Skyrim.

The final tower was little more than a curving hallway that ended in a large room that dominated the centre of the building. I heard footsteps and saw a woman come out of the room. She was dressed in simple cotton clothing, despite the fierce painted markings on her face. I immediately assumed her to be the one leading the bandits, though the fact that she was unarmed and without armour made me relaxed enough to take my hand from my sword.

"I'm guessing that since you're standing in front of me you've killed most of my men," she said nonchalantly. "Or, more likely, all of my men."

"To be fair, I think there were a couple females in among them," I said and gave a light shrug. I had to keep myself from wincing at the pain the action ignited in my shoulder. "I'm collecting the bounty on this place and looking for some woman named Fjola."

"Fjola? How do you know that name?" the woman narrowed her eyes at me.

"Because your husband asked me to find you," I answered with a frown. "Though now I'm beginning to think my two jobs are kind of conflicting."

"I'm terribly sorry to complicate the unrepentant slaughter of my men."

"Yeah, well, you should be. Besides, it isn't as though they didn't deserve it. They were, you know, bandits and murderers and all that noise," my frown deepened into something of a scowl.

"Murderers? I made sure no one in my gang killed anyone. You can't ransom off a dead person," Fjola actually sounded somewhat disgusted at the concept. Maybe she wasn't enough of a scumbag to warrant killing for a bounty, I thought with enough amusement to lift my frown.

"You might have wanted to run that idea past your gang. Apparently Burbag took too heavy a hand to some woman you picked up recently," I was surprised by my housecarl's addition to the conversation.

"Wait, when did you read that note?" I asked as I turned my head to face her. I momentarily forgot my conversation with Fjola.

"After you put it back on the table," she answered as though I should have known. Apparently I needed to pay more attention to what she did.

"Oh. I didn't notice," was all I could say in response, so I turned to face the other woman again. "Anyway, I'm willing to not kill you if you go back to your husband or something. So long as the bandit problem in the area is solved I'm sure I'll still get paid."

"I'd rather die than go back to being that man's wife," Fjola scoffed.

"How terrible could it have been? He didn't seem the needlessly abusive type."

She let out a harsh sigh. "He wasn't. Living with him was just...beyond boring. I can't stand settling down like that."

"And banditry seemed the best recourse?" I could hear some measure of contempt in Lydia's voice. I figured it likely had something to do with her being a guard and soldier who had to defend people from gangs like Fjola's.

I could sympathize with the woman's desire to stay free to do as she pleased, though. I didn't necessarily agree with how she went about it, but I could definitely see where she was coming from. "So what do you want me to tell your husband?" I let the bounty issue go for the time being. This was a problem more likely to be easily solved.

"I don't care. Tell him I'm dead, for all it matters. Just get him gone," she said with a shake of her head. "He's...a good man. I don't want him dead over this. Give him this ring and tell him you found it on my corpse," she handed me a simple gold band. I didn't know what separated it from any other ring in the world, but I'm sure there was something to identify it.

I handed the ring to Lydia. "Go give that to him and let him come to his own conclusions. If he asks about it, just shake your head or something," I murmured to her. "Now then, I was kind of expecting to make some money off this. Being a mercenary kind of makes that a priority."

I saw Fjola glance at my housecarl for a moment. "We can discuss your payment in private. I'm sure we can work out something, if you're so concerned about not collecting your bounty."

My eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion at her request to speak in private. Still, I was fairly certain that if everything went sideways I could probably handle her in a straight fight. I gave a nod to my housecarl and told her to leave it to me. She nodded in return and left with a quiet warning to be careful.

"Now then, about that payment," I started as I turned back to her. I stopped dead in my speech when I found her without a shirt. It lay in a crumpled heap on the floor by the entrance to her room.

I saw her eyebrow quirk slightly along with her lips. "Well, it seems you're a man after all," she chuckled low in her throat.

I couldn't help the frown that pulled at my lips. "I would've thought that was fairly obvious. I'm kind of lacking a shirt. I could take off my pants, too, if you _really_ want to make sure."

"I may wish you to take off your pants for another reason entirely," Fjola actually sounded amused.

Despite all my trepidation when it came to human women there was no mistaking her intent here. Before I could make a witty retort she had wandered back into her room. I couldn't help but feel I was losing my rhetorical edge. I followed her into the room to find her working at unbinding the belt holding her pants in place. "You certainly seem eager," I remarked as I approached her from behind.

"It's been a while since I shared my bed, I suppose," she looked over her shoulder with an entertained smirk pulling at her lips. I wondered faintly if she expected me to kiss her.

"So the scales and the tail and the horns don't bother you?" I asked to distract myself from thinking about unknown things.

"I've never had sex with an Argonian before. I have to admit that I'm fairly curious," she shrugged. "The smooth skin and hair doesn't bother you?"

I laughed aloud and simply shook my head in spite of the pants and undergarments dropping down her legs. Her body looked nearly as fit as Lydia's, if not quite as strong. Apparently her time as a bandit had been good exercise. A few scars dotted her back, though she didn't have nearly the mess of pale lines and dots I did. I pushed away the reminder that my shoulder would doubtlessly have a rather ugly, jagged stretch of scar tissue in a few days.

"How do you want to..." I began to ask but was cut off when she spun around and pulled me down to kiss her. Maybe humans didn't place so much value on the gesture as I had originally thought. I reached down to work at the buckles holding my pants in place but didn't get much undone before Fjola pulled me with her to her nearby bed.

As much as I may have wanted to drag out and enjoy the first sexual experience I was having since leaving Whiterun about two weeks beforehand, I knew I was on a fairly strict time limit. It wouldn't take Lydia long to get to Christer and deliver the ring. Fjola's lips swallowed a satisfied groan when I finally got the bindings for my pants loose enough to extract my hastily stiffening member.

Her hand slid down my bare chest to wrap loosely around my shaft. A quiet mewl of approval told me she liked what she found. My own fingers dipped between her legs to find she was already nearly dripping in arousal. "You really are eager," I chuckled quietly in her ear. She moaned softly when I slipped a finger inside. The feeling of a human's vagina was something I wasn't likely to get bored of.

I had to be quick, a stray thought reminded me. I hoped that Fjola was thinking the same thing and promptly pulled my hand away from her moist centre to brace against her hip. The hand that had been stroking me slowly guided my pulsing erection to her entrance and with a swift push of my hips I was buried inside her. I couldn't help but notice for once that I couldn't get my entire length into her before I hit what I assumed was her cervix.

I started with slow, experimental thrusts but that didn't last long. She wasn't as tight as Ysolda or Camilla, my mind distantly noted. I wasn't about to complain, though. Sex was sex and I was more than happy to be having it.

When the minutes began to tick by in my head and my body showed no sign of nearing its completion I began to grow slightly worried. Never before in my life had I wanted to finish so quickly. Why couldn't this have just been a simple minute of clumsy, aimless thrusting to ruin my self-esteem like when I first lost my virginity? I likely would have skipped out on the stupid, needless apologies this time, though.

My own hiss of pain brought me from my reverie when Fjola's fingers clamped onto my shoulders. I likely wouldn't have minded her gripping my bandaged wound so much if she weren't doing it with her nails. I tried to shrug her off my left shoulder, but she was too lost in pleasure to notice. I would have been proud if I weren't worried about her tearing an already ugly gash into something far worse.

My solution was to pry her hand off, pull out and flip her onto her stomach. She let out a small whimper of disappointment at the loss of my thick cock. She didn't have to suffer without for long, though. As speedily as I could manage it I lifted her waist so she was propped up on her knees and pushed back into her. From this angle I could fit nearly my entire prick in her wet, gripping heat. I wasted no time in setting a pace to match my earlier pounding. Her moans were brought back to their former volume and even I couldn't help the odd hiss of pleasure.

I wrapped an arm around Fjola's stomach and pulled her up so I could bite and lick at her neck. My hand went to her breasts to squeeze at the soft, firm flesh and pinch lightly at her pink nipples. Its opposite at her waist held her steady so I could thrust my hips against hers with whatever strength I could muster. I was determined to be finished quickly.

It took only a couple minutes for me to finally feel the tingling build-up of my impending climax. I made no attempt to hold it off and when Fjola's inner walls began rippling in time with her increasingly loud moans I knew she was reaching her orgasm. I lifted my hand from her breasts to turn her head so I could engulf her lips with my own and swallow her screams. When my own orgasm finally hit I pushed as far into her suddenly constricting canal as I could. My seed pulsed from my body in hot, fast torrents and filled her until I could feel it seeping past my cock to run down her thigh.

I held the woman tight against my chest for a brief moment while I regained my breath. I lifted my head as I withdrew my softening member from Fjola's now relaxed confines. I was ready to let out a sigh of relief when my eyes caught sight of Lydia standing at the entrance to the room and my breath caught in my throat.

She was staring at us, eyes wide and jaw hanging. I heard Fjola chuckle quietly when she noticed the other woman, though I couldn't quite figure out what was terribly entertaining. She pressed a hot, almost sloppy kiss to the juncture of my jaw and neck. For the umpteenth time that day my usual wit failed me.

I decided to deal with a much more easily solved problem and looked down at the naked woman pressed against me. "Probably a horrible time to ask, but would you happen to have any shirts kicking around that might fit me?"

* * *

><p>AN: So this has easily been the hardest to write chapter for this whole story. At no point did I manage to sit down and just write for a couple hours. None of it flowed out easily and I ground my way through most of it with clenched teeth, trying desperately to write something I didn't dislike. Also, Halo 4. I'm hoping that the next chapter is easier to get out. Regardless, tell me what you thought of the whole mess and I'll do what I can to get back to you.


	14. Chapter 14

I stared at the back of my housecarl's head, a scowl pulling my eyebrows together. She was ostensibly leading me to Riften, but considering the road signs and quiet roads there was no real reason for her to be so far ahead. She hadn't even spoken a word beyond the short, curt replies to any attempt I made at sparking up conversation.

We had left Mistwatch the previous day in an awkward and rather embarrassed silence. Since then the tension had grown so thick between us that it was hard to even get words through it, much less actually talk at length to each other. I looked up at the sky, the brightness of the sun narrowing my eyes slightly more. I could count the number of clouds before us on one hand.

I lowered my gaze back to Lydia and deepened my glower. "Why are you so pissed off?" I finally asked with a huff.

"I am perfectly content, my Thane," she replied with a voice empty of conviction.

I let out a long sigh and tried to work out the knots in my neck's muscles with my hand. "Then why have your hands been clenched into fists since we left camp this morning?"

"Because," she started, though she cut herself off quite abruptly. I watched her hands very purposely unclench. "I am perfectly content, my Thane."

I almost toppled from the weight of my head when it dropped in defeat. "By the Divines, you're such a..._woman_." She mumbled something under her breath that I couldn't make out and I didn't pursue the matter.

I picked idly at a stain in the rough cotton shirt I had grabbed from Mistwatch. It didn't quite fit right and my horns had torn a small gouge in the neckline but it was better than nothing and at least my travelling cloak kept me warm. It was surprisingly chilly without my fur and wool lined armour. I prayed that when we got to Riften I'd be able to find somewhere to purchase a new tunic.

My prayers felt a little closer to being answered when we crested yet another hill to see a town pop up some distance away at the foot of a mountain. The terrain below us was bumpy and dotted in trees, but it looked fairly easy to cross. I could see a massive lake stretching out from the town's eastern end and disappear into the mountains we had been travelling through. I thought of the river that ran through Ivarstead and wondered if it led to the lake.

It took the better part of an hour to cross the rolling hills and reach the town. A pair of guards stood at the gate, though they didn't look particularly alert or concerned as we walked by. My hand unconsciously drifted down to the dagger at my hip. If the guards were so lax I could only assume that the place was as crime-ridden as Lydia had said.

Entering the city proper proved to indicate no better. The place was crowded, noisy, and far too many piles of fish guts had been just left on the along the water below. I could only assume the town had dredged out a river for the sake of trade, but it didn't look like much was imported through the waterways. Lydia and I began walking towards the thickest throng of people; the various stands indicated a market.

It didn't take long for us to find an armourer or even a serviceable tunic. What truly bogged us down was the man charging me outlandish prices for the equipment. "There's no way I'm paying two hundred septims for hardened leather. That's ridiculous."

"I'm not forcing you to do business here, _lizard_," he sneered back at me. "If the prices so offend you, you're more than welcome to look elsewhere."

I was about to take him up on his offer with a caustic remark when an older man stormed up to the stand. "Asbjorn! What do you think you're doing?" the man shouted. I quickly forgot my anger. Or maybe it was just absorbed by the new arrival's fury. The apparent racist selling the wares sputtered out some mess of gibberish with few discernible words beyond "Argonian" and "sorry".

I regarded the older man with a cocked eyebrow. "Is this your business?" I asked, referring to the small smithy set up in an isolated corner of the market.

"Aye, it is," he growled. "I thought to leave my son in charge of it but it seems he wasn't as ready for the task as I hoped he would be." The disappointment in the man's voice very handily pushed Asbjorn's shoulders into a slump.

"I'm sorry, father," he finally spoke clearly.

"Get out of here. We'll talk later," the father waved his son away. "I'm terribly sorry about that. He's still young and impetuous. He hasn't figured out that not everything some pompous nationalist tells him is true."

"If you're willing to do some reasonable business with me, then no harm done," I shrugged the apology off. As much as it bothered me sometimes, I had long since given up on staying angry or holding grudges over hatred of my race.

"Good. You look like you could use some new armour," he said as he looked me over. Despite the fact that they hadn't suffered as much damage as my upper half, my trousers and boots had taken a few nasty hits and scrapes since I had acquired them.

"That probably couldn't hurt. I wouldn't mind a new sword, either," I unconsciously dropped my hand to touch my empty scabbard. "And if I could get the sword I do have sharpened, that would probably be just dandy."

It only took a few minutes to get a studded leather tunic fitted for me and have the edges of our blades returned to their former glory. I flexed my hands in the new gauntlets to help loosen the leather a little, or at least start the process. I couldn't help but notice that my bandages stretched out of my armour, both from my shoulder and past the edge of my gauntlet.

After paying the blacksmith, whose named I had learned was Balimund, I turned to my housecarl and frowned at her still frosty disposition. "Well, now that all that business is taken care of, shall we take a look around? I'm sure there's something in this place that will catch our fancy," I suggested in a rather futile attempt to lighten the mood slightly.

I don't know how long we spent wandering around the market, poking our heads into various stalls and displays. Lydia was silent save for the odd decline when I asked if she wanted to grab anything. I found a spell book that caught my attention which detailed how to fire a shot of flame like a burning arrow. As much as I tended to forget about using it I really was forever intent on increasing my magical prowess.

Our leisurely excursion was brought to an abrupt end, however, when a young man not paying the slightest bit of attention stumbled into Lydia. "Watch where you're going, wench," the man growled and moved to push past her.

I stepped in the way and let him collide with my unforgiving chest. "Hey now, that's no way to talk to a lady," I said with a warning tone. I didn't really know why I was standing up for Lydia to an ordinary civilian. I had, after all, seen her fight many people in rather ferocious battles. It wasn't as though she were incapable of defending herself. I supposed it was simply male pride being male pride.

People began to notice us, though that was mostly thanks to the man's loud mouth. "What business is it of yours, reptile?" he hissed. I was tempted to hiss back and show him how it was done, but somehow I didn't think that would help much.

"She's a friend of mine. That makes it my business when some asshole decides to run his mouth," I answered with a glare. "Now apologize before I make you."

A gentle but firm hand on my arm led my eyes back to my housecarl. She looked like she was about to tell me to stop or some other foolish thing. I simply raised my hand to silence her and shook my head. As much as it may have been a stupid or unnecessary thing to do, I was committed to my decision to stand up for her.

Apparently the man noticed her silent insistence that I back down. "You should listen to her, beast. You wouldn't want to start something you can't finish," he scoffed.

"I can't help but feel you should be taking your own words more seriously, Sibbi," a smooth feminine voice interjected. At the sound of the voice I saw some creepy combination of fear and elation cross the man's face.

"Mother!" Sibbi turned to the new arrival. She was an older woman; I had to guess just under fifty, considering her hair was still a dark black. Shallow lines of age drew across her face, though there was no denying she was still an attractive woman. Still, there was a harsh, cold edge to her voice that made me wary of her. I could tell by her voice that she commanded respect and fear around this place. "This thing threatened to attack me."

"Then why are you snivelling up to me?" the woman asked in a voice dripping in false cheeriness. "Show yourself a man and stand up to him, child."

Sibbi looked shocked for a moment that his mother wasn't going to bail him out of a mess. I wondered briefly just who she was in this place. By the looks of fear and the hush of the people around us, I had to guess that it was a similar position to a Jarl, but far less official and therefore more dangerous.

I folded my arms over my chest and decided to goad the man along. I was curious to see what would happen if I actually hurt this man. "Sounds like someone's getting scolded by mother dearest. How embarrassing," I smirked at Sibbi. "Are you going to cry when she takes away your toys for starting fights?"

The fist that caught across my jaw made me stumble back a pace, but it wasn't hard enough to properly daze me or even particularly hurt. Considering I had taken blows from bears, sabre cats and even dragons, a man's hand wasn't likely to sting much. I mentally kicked myself for standing flat-footed. Sibbi swung again but it was a simple matter to duck under the blow and crush my fist into his stomach. I heard the air rush from his lungs and didn't give him time to recover before I gave him a swift punch across the jaw. I caught his shirt to hold him standing just long enough to crack my knuckles against his cheek and send him well and truly flying into the dirt.

He spat out some dust and blood and looked pleadingly at his mother. "Mother...do something..." he whined pathetically.

All he earned was a cold glare. "Get out of my sight, Sibbi. We will talk about this later," she spat. I didn't think even my Argonian blood would be able to resist the venom in her voice.

The beaten man scrambled away and left me with the woman. "My apologies for all that. I didn't expect it to get so out of hand," I said to her with a brief nod of my head. With the fighting over, I could finally take in what she really looked like. Her clothing was simple, but the furs it was made from meant that all of it probably cost a good deal more than my armour. She had a couple rings on and a fine gold pendant hanging from her neck to emphasize her wealth. Clearly she kept her appearance simple strictly to get the point across that it was no bother for her to own expensive clothing.

"You aren't the one who should be apologizing. It was about time he learned that he can't expect to be saved from every bit of trouble he gets himself into," the woman said. She extended her hand. "My name is Maven Black-Briar."

I stared at the hand for a moment, unsure of what to do in this situation. I didn't know exactly what social position she held relative to me. I settled for treating it like business. "Kailev-Tel," I answered simply and took her hand in a firm but gentle shake. My response seemed to amuse her.

"Well, Kailev-Tel, I hope that if we meet again it's under more pleasant circumstances," she smiled at me again and turned to leave.

"As do I. Have a nice day," I smiled back disarmingly as she turned. She gave a short, polite nod over her shoulder and walked through the parting bodies of the people around us. No one hesitated to move aside to let her through. Just how dangerous was this person?

"Kailev-Tel!" a new female voice sounded suddenly and for a brief instant I thought it was Lydia again. I turned to face her before the voice called again and my blood turned to ice when I finally recognized it.

My head snapped to the side and my wide, terrified eyes caught sight of the female Argonian marching purposefully towards us. "Oh, shit," I cursed quietly. The golden scales, the petite horns, the red lines streaking around her face to virtually mirror mine...There was no denying it. It was her. "Keesara? What in Oblivion are you doing here?" I asked in shock.

"I should be asking you the same thing, _brother_," she hissed angrily at me once she stood face-to-face with me. Or face to chest, at least. Despite her much smaller stature I couldn't help but be a little afraid of my younger sister when she was angry at me.

"Half-brother," I interjected automatically. I instantly groaned at myself for restarting our old habit so quickly. "And I'm beating up some obnoxious human, obviously."

"Hold on," Lydia put an arm in between us to grab our attention. "I'm sure that this is important, but this is your sister? Isn't your family in Black Marsh?"

"Half-sister," the new arrival put in.

"That's what I thought," I continued on, despite the interruption. "Who else is here, Kees?"

"It's only me, and don't call me that," she pouted and crossed her arms. "And here I was thinking that after looking for you for almost a year you'd be so glad to see me you'd hug me."

I rolled my eyes at her tantrum. Some things never changed, I supposed. "I probably would have if you hadn't charged up to me looking like you were ready to hit me," I shrugged. "Why were you looking for me? I've been gone for years now. I can't imagine anyone's really that worried anymore."

"You have a duty to fulfil!" she snapped. "You can't just walk away from being-"

"Enough," I quickly barked in hist, our native language. Both Lydia and Keesara looked at me with wide eyes. I figured that my sister had probably assumed I had forgotten how to speak it after so long away from home.

"You mean this woman doesn't know who you are?" she asked in the same language.

At least she had the good sense to be discreet. "If I had it my way, no one would," I continued to speak in a language I knew Lydia couldn't understand. I felt kind of bad about it, but it couldn't be helped. "Then again, if I had it my way there wouldn't be anything to know."

Keesara regarded Lydia with a slight smirk that I knew meant I was in trouble. I was about to pay for not just hugging my haughty sister. Or for some perceived slight from years ago, knowing her. "He's a prince, since he clearly has no intention of telling you himself," she said nonchalantly before I could stop her. "Son of the King of Black Marsh, to be precise."

Lydia stared at me blankly, though her wide eyes at least gave her empty expression some bit of surprise to liven it up. "You're a prince," she restated.

"By the strictest definition, yeah," I nodded my head and prayed that I was going to wake up soon back in camp. There was no way my sister was actually here ruining all I had done to try and cover up my past in Black Marsh. "Look, if you're going to continue to be a nuisance, can we at least go somewhere that isn't so open and...outside?" I asked the troubling girl.

Keesara led us to an inn called the Bee and Barb where she had apparently been staying for a while. She sat down on her room's bed while Lydia took to a chair at a small table in the corner. I stood against a wall with my arms folded and waited for the looming ordeal to be over.

In the silence I took a good look at my sister. She had actually grown slightly since the last time I had seen her. Despite how much it disturbed me, I couldn't help but notice that her breasts appeared bigger, though there was a good chance that was mainly an illusion of her shirt. I sighed at her vanity. She couldn't even dress for travelling properly.

Lydia cleared her throat after a rather pregnant pause. "So you're a prince," she restated once again.

"You seem to have a hard time believing that," I chuckled. "Maybe that means I've been doing a good job of not acting like one."

"Are you going to be the ruler of Black Marsh some day?" I again noted the lack of judgement in her voice. She simply wanted to know.

"No. That's my brother, Tal-Jarad. He's the one I told you about before; the one who bet me I couldn't beat a thrinax in a fight." She seemed satisfied with that answer, given new information to think about. "How did you find me?" I turned to my sister.

She looked somewhat surprised by the sudden question. "I spent the last year or so looking around Cyrodiil for you. I finally found someone who said they had seen you about a month ago and told me you were headed for the border," she explained. "This was the first town I came to after crossing into Skyrim. I suppose I just got lucky that you showed up here so soon."

"Yeah, that certainly was fortunate," I deadpanned. "I guess that'll teach me to tell people my real name."

"There aren't too many Kailev-Tels in the world," Keesara said with an odd kind of smile. I didn't like it when she gave me that smile. It should have been reserved for people she had a crush on.

"One of a kind," I replied with a short shrug. I turned to the almost forgotten human sitting quietly at the edge of the room. "Lydia...sorry about not being too forthcoming, but I left Black Marsh for a reason. That, and I didn't want you to think any differently of me just because of who my old man is."

Her eyebrow quirked up slightly, as did a corner of her lips. It had been a while since I had seen that joking smirk. "I wouldn't let it shine my opinion of you in the least, my Thane," she quipped at me quite casually.

"Good. I'd hate for you to suddenly think I'm something important," I gave her a satisfied nod.

"What's a Thane?" Keesara asked after what seemed to be a moment's thought.

"It's this foolish title they give to people who kill dragons or something," I answered with yet another shrug. "Comes with some woman who follows me around and tells me my ideas are stupid."

"Most of them are..." Lydia mumbled quietly.

"A dragon?" my sister exclaimed, apparently deaf to my housecarl's snide remarks.

"Yeah, you know...big, scaly, flies around, breaths fire..." I said offhandedly.

"How did you kill a dragon?"

"With a sword, like most things I kill," I shrugged again. "Keesara, you should know by now that I'm amazing. If I can kill a thrinax with a dagger the dragon shouldn't be too much of a stretch."

"The Histskin is the only reason you're still alive after that stupid bet with Tal-Jarad," Keesara frowned deeply at me.

I looked to Lydia and cut her just short of her obvious question. Her curiosity at least made her somewhat predictable. "Not all Argonians heal quite as quickly as I do. We all heal faster than humans, but some of us...Can't quite die from anything short of a truly lethal blow," I explained. "It's why I was chosen to be Black Marsh's general when I was born. Guess that means it's kind of why I left."

"Because you heal faster?"

"Because short of getting a limb hacked off, there isn't much I won't recover from. I'm pretty sure even my organs grow back," I clarified.

"So that's why you're so reckless," she muttered just quietly enough for me to still hear.

I rubbed at the back of my neck in a nervous gesture. "Something like that, yeah. If something doesn't outright kill me, I know I can probably bounce back in a week, at most."

"Only a few Argonians have ever been born blessed with the Histskin. Each one has been known as a remarkable warrior and leader," Keesara sounded downright proud of our lore and history. And me, but I tried my best to ignore that. "It was one such Argonian that led us to invade and occupy Morrowind at the beginning of the Fourth Era."

"At least one of us paid attention to the tutors," I chuckled. There was no way I could have recited all that history. "I bet you could even explain how the An-Xileel was founded."

"I probably could," she now sounded properly proud. She liked holding her higher academic record from when we were children above me. She seemed to forget that I was trained in tactics and combat. I knew little about civil history, but I doubted she held a candle to what I knew of military history.

Nonetheless, I couldn't help but smile at my sister's happiness. It was infectious. "Why do you know anything about the invasion of Morrowind? That doesn't sound like your kind of history," I asked.

"I only know about the general who led it, Kailev-Jek," she said with a quick shrug.

"It seems odd that his name is so similar to yours, my Thane," Lydia interjected.

I turned a curious eye to her. "It's a common word in Argonian names."

"It's a common word in Argonian _royal_ names," Keesara corrected me.

"Thankfully no one outside of Black Marsh seems to know that fact," I chuckled quietly. "I also like that no one gives me strange looks when I introduce myself as Kai. I swear there isn't a single Argonian in Cyrodiil that can speak proper hist."

"Hist? Isn't that the name of the trees you were talking about?" Lydia looked at me curiously.

Keesara snorted in her haughty way and I sighed at what I knew was coming. "Of course a human couldn't tell the difference."

"Don't be nasty, sister," I chided her as I walked over to the bed she was sitting on. If I was going to be here a while yet, I decided I wanted to get comfortable.

"Half-sister," she said automatically.

I sat down on the bed and propped myself against the headboard. I snickered at the thought that I could nudge my sister with my foot. I turned my head towards Lydia. "Hist is the name of the trees, but hist is the name of our language. There's a slight difference in the pronunciation: the sibilance in Hist is held longer, like a hiss, whereas hist is said very shortly," I explained. "Once upon a time there was some Argonian that thought he was clever and told someone that the language is named "jel", but that's just a word that basically means tongue."

"Unfortunately, that Argonian was an ambassador and told that to one of the officials of the Empire, so it kind of stuck," Keesara grumbled.

"At least it works better for humans, even if it's technically incorrect," I chuckled.

"It isn't our fault their clumsy tongues can't talk properly," she scoffed.

"Keesara!" I barked sharply at her and gave her a firm nudge in the ribs with my foot. She squirmed away, spun and shot a quick glare at me. It took some small measure of willpower to maintain my disapproving expression against the desire to smirk at knowing that she was still ticklish.

"What? They talk badly about us all the time," she frowned at me.

"Then prove yourself better than that," I frowned right back. "Besides, most of the humans I've met in Skyrim so far haven't been bad people."

"Yes, you seemed to get on quite well with that Fjola woman," Lydia quipped. I had to work shamefully hard to focus on something else to keep from blushing.

"I get on well with everyone."

"Except for the people you get into fights with," my sister gave me what she likely thought was a clever smirk.

I shrugged and chuckled in response. "Except for assholes and bigots, yeah."

A comfortable silence settled into the room. It seemed that for now discussion of my past was suspended. I was perfectly happy to explain everything there was to know about my culture to Lydia. I was sure I'd get asked questions about my family and home life at some point, but the longer all that could be put off the better. I wasn't thrilled to actually be reminded of who I was in Black Marsh.

"Would you like to know what our names mean?" I asked Lydia rather suddenly. I was struck by an abrupt whimsy to offer her something without her having to ask about it.

"What they mean?" she repeated.

"Yeah. Argonian names all mean something, like a phrase about that person. We don't actually get named until a year has passed after our births. It's thought that an Argonian should be known by his most defining traits," I actually kind of liked talking about my race now that I didn't have to worry about keeping my lineage a secret. "Some choose to go by their names in hist, like Keesara and I, and some like to translate them to Common Cyrodiilic so other races can get the same idea. Not that those traditions are much held to outside of Black Marsh. I doubt half the Argonians in Cyrodiil actually know what their names mean."

"Rootless," I heard my sister mutter.

I nudged her with my foot once more for the use of the pejorative. "Such unladylike language," I chided her. "Anyway, my name comes from an Argonian proverb: 'Only the strong can swim against the current.' Damn flowery if you ask me, but that's just my opinion. If I went by my Cyrodiilic name it would be Swims-Upstream," my mouth was actually a little tired from my long-winded explanation.

"And that's only given to royalty?"

"Yeah. We take our proverbs and idioms very seriously," I snickered. "I know, it's stupid, and I've never really understood it. Names that involve streams or water currents are reserved for aristocracy for some reason."

"What does Kai mean, then?" I was surprised by Lydia's question.

"It means my brother thinks he's clever," Keesara grumbled.

"Half-brother. And it means nothing," I answered.

"It's meaningless?"

"No, it literally means nothing or void," my sister clarified. "It was his little way of rebelling against our father for choosing him to be the general."

"I always told you I'm nothing special," I shrugged with a quiet laugh.

"But you are," I almost winced at her sharp tone. "You're the Thane of Whiterun, a prince of Black Marsh, you have the Histskin and you're..."

"I didn't ask for any of those things," I interjected before she could out me to my sister. I wanted to be the one to explain why I couldn't go back with her just yet. "I just...want to be able to choose my own path. I don't like how everything in my life has been decided by someone else from the day I was born," I said with a harsh sigh. "That, and I'm really not good at dealing with responsibility."

We trailed off into silence for a while. Our friendly chitchatting was going so well, too. I was looking forward to stepping outside and finding it to be too late for Lydia and I to continue and explore the area. Then I'd have to find away to con my sister into paying for my room for the night and that promised to be greatly entertaining. Now that my real reasons for leaving home were out in the open, things had gone somewhat downhill.

"Do you really not want to come home?" Keesara asked after what felt like minutes but could have been only seconds for how drawn out it had felt.

"Not really, no," I answered honestly. "I've been enjoying the past few years wandering around, being nobody important."

"You have a duty to your home as the next head of the An-Xileel," she frowned.

I sighed again. "I have a job to do here, too. And there's actually a replacement for me for the 'duty' I have back home. Urabrask will do fine."

"He won't be you," she turned away from me in a huff. "He won't be enough stop the Thalmor when they come to invade us after destroying the Empire."

"What makes you think I could?" I asked. "What makes you think the Empire are going to be destroyed, too?"

"They were last time," she shook her head, keeping her gaze away from me. "Brother...you're the only one I can imagine could keep Black Marsh safe."

I didn't have the heart to correct her about my status as her half-brother. "Lydia...could I talk to my sister in private?" I turned to my housecarl awkwardly.

To her credit, she didn't look like she felt half as uncomfortable as I did. "Of course, my Thane," she said simply before standing and leaving the room. Her immediate loyalty was both comforting and unpleasant. I disliked being reminded that even after everything I was still the Thane of Whiterun.

I shifted to sit by my sister. Her gaze was fixed on her folded hands in her lap. "Keesara...I have a job to do here in Skyrim," I repeated. "I'm the Dragonborn. I'm not entirely sure what that means yet, but apparently I have to stop a dragon named Alduin from eating the world or something."

She was silent for almost a full minute. "So you have to save the world," she stated simply.

"That's the plan, yeah," I nodded. "If I don't do that, it doesn't much matter whether or not I'm around to help Black Marsh against the Thalmor. There won't be a Black Marsh to protect or a Thalmor to defeat."

Her gaze finally turned up at me. She looked horribly sad and I dreaded the thought that she might start crying. "I just want you to come back home..." she mumbled.

"I know," I said and wrapped my arm around her shoulder. I was somewhat surprised by how quickly her arms wrapped around my ribs, though she couldn't quite fit them around all the way, with the extra bulk my armour added. "And...I'll think about it. Once I'm done with stopping the dragon nonsense." She seemed to relax at hearing that. "Not that I'm terribly certain I'll be the one deciding factor in any war."

"You could do it," Keesara's voice held the utmost confidence. She truly believed that. "There isn't anything you can't do if you want to do it. You killed a _thrinax_ with a dagger two years before you even left home."

"Ah, my misspent youth," I drawled. I was rewarded with a quiet giggle and I was happy that I had cheered up my sister. "I can't help but feel Tal-Jarad didn't pay me enough. I should've charged him a night with that female he was seeing."

I earned myself a none-too-gentle punch to my unarmoured upper arm. "Ugh. Why do I bother?" she sighed haughtily and turned her nose in the air away from me.

"Bother with what? Was that whole guilt-tripping me into hugging you just because you wanted to seduce me?" I couldn't keep my jaw from dropping. "Dammit, Keesara. I already told you I'm not gonna do it."

"Why not? Don't you think I'm pretty enough?" she snapped her head around to glare at me.

"You're my sister!"

"Half-sister! There's no law against it!"

"Argonian law is _not_ what you should base your morals off," I sighed for what had to be the thousandth time with my sister. She was beyond exasperating. And manipulative. "Almost nothing is illegal in Black Marsh. That doesn't mean everything is okay."

"I don't care that you're my brother," she grumbled.

"Half-brother. And I do," I gathered up my pack and supplies and stood at the door. "I'm going outside for some air and freedom," I announced. I left the room before she could argue. I refused to be trapped with her at the moment.

"My Thane!" Lydia sounded surprised when she caught sight of me. "You look...better?"

"I cheered my sister up," I shook my head and sighed once more. "Come on. Let's look for something to do."

We left the inn and walked outside to find it breaking into afternoon. "We weren't in there for nearly as long as it felt like," I frowned and looked around the diminishing marketplace. I caught sight of the only merchant whose name I had actually bothered learning. "Balimund! You wouldn't happen to know of any jobs that needed doing, would you?" I asked and headed over to him.

He looked up from stitching some leather. He looked somewhat surprised to see me. "Kai! I'm stunned you haven't left town yet," he said in a nearly hushed tone.

"Left town? Why?" I frowned again. "Because of that fight earlier? If it's a bounty issue I'll just pay the guards..."

His eyes widened further. "Don't you know who that was? That was Sibbi Black-Briar, Maven's son!"

"Yeah, I know. We chatted after I smacked him around. She didn't seem too upset by it."

"She might not be upset about you fighting Sibbi, but if you stick around she might think you're trying to cause trouble. She's...Well, let's just say you don't want to be on her bad side," Balimund looked troubled enough just be speaking of it.

"Kailev-Tel?" I heard my sister call out. I whipped around and felt a small headache start between my eyes.

"That girl is going to be the death of me," I muttered. "Kees! Over here!"

She spun around and her face lit up when she saw me. She could be so childish sometimes. She dashed over to me and nearly dove into me. Or all the time. I could swear her moods swung like no one else. "Having troubles, my Thane?" Lydia's soft chuckle sounded behind me.

"Not a thing," I turned around and pried my sister off. "Just having a blast reconnecting with my dear lost sister."

"Half-sister."

"Whatever. I have to leave town, apparently, so I guess we won't be hanging out anymore," she looked crestfallen at the news and I felt the pain between my eyes increase. I refused to be swayed by her doe eyes.

She quickly perked up and I knew a bad idea had popped into her head. "I'll just come with you," she stated, rather than asked.

"No," I said firmly. "I don't lead a particularly safe lifestyle, Keesara. I don't want you getting eaten by a troll or stabbed by a bandit," or burned up by a dragon, but that might draw some attention from Balimund.

"He's right. He has a very common habit of getting himself into a lot of trouble," Lydia supplied helpfully.

"And a common habit of getting himself out of them," I added. "The point is I don't need you getting in the way and getting yourself hurt or killed."

"I wouldn't get in the way," she sounded honestly hurt by that.

I still refused to be swayed by it, though. "Have you learned how to fight and kill people since I left?" I asked, though perhaps I was a bit too harsh.

She was silent for a moment. "Then what should I do? I'm not going back home without you," she said quite defiantly.

I thought on it for a brief time before an idea came to mind. I turned to face the nearly-forgotten Balimund. "Is there any way she could make it safely to Whiterun?"

He looked up from his leathers. Apparently he had already tuned us out. "There should be a guarded carriage coming in tomorrow morning. She'll be able to take that to Whiterun for about fifty septims."

"Thanks," I nodded and turned to leave.

"Hey, Kai, you should be good to come back in a couple weeks. Just give Maven some time to forget about you. If you do decide to come back, I'll pay you for any fire salts you bring me. They're how I keep the forge running," the blacksmith called after me.

"I'll keep that in mind," I called back as I led my sister back to the inn. I stopped her at the door to tell her I wouldn't be joining her. "Take this money and go to Whiterun tomorrow. I know some people there. Find a woman named Ysolda and tell her who you are, and she should be able to help you get settled in until I get back," I explained. "We'll figure out what to do from there."

She looked at the weighty coin purse in her hand and then back to me. "How long do you think you'll be?"

"Dunno. Until I get bored of walking around his half of Skyrim," I said with an easy shrug. "I haven't seen any of the west yet, so I'll have to end up back at Whiterun at some point." Keesara looked uneasy at that but agreed nonetheless. "Good. Now then," I chuckled and bent down slightly to wrap my arms around her in a proper hug. "It really was good to see you again, sister."

Her arms snapped up to wrap around my neck and return the hug enthusiastically. "Half-sister," she half-giggled while she tried to strangle me.

We stayed like that for a while, until I finally decided Lydia had to feel like a fifth wheel for long enough and released my sister. To my surprise she let go quite willingly. Maybe she had grown up more than I had given her credit for. "Alright, Lydia. Let's be off. There's still enough daylight for us to travel a few miles by."

* * *

><p>AN: I really wish I was better at writing dialogue so that this whole thing wouldn't be an expositional mess. I've actually had most of Kai's backstory planned out since around chapter 3. Which is incidentally around the time I made the story title and summary completely void of the original idea of this story, but whatever. I've had more fun writing it this way. Argonian society being more or less unexplained in canon at least gives me a lot of breathing room. As always, if you want to comment/critique/whatever, leave a review and tell me what you think. Also, go fucked up brother-sister dynamics.


	15. Chapter 15

"I'm still baffled that a whole town of miners armed with pickaxes couldn't handle a few spiders," I remarked aloud as dusk began to set on my housecarl and me. "They even had a blacksmith and piles of iron. Why not just make some swords or something?"

"Are you complaining that we stumbled on paid work, my Thane?" Lydia clucked.

I frowned at the back of her head. "No. I just don't get it."

"They were ordinary civilians. Capable or not, they wouldn't know how to go about fighting like that. That's why there need to be people like you to help them," she cast a glance at me over her shoulder.

"Don't sell yourself short. It would've been a bad scene without you there to make sure my ass didn't get bitten," I chuckled.

I saw her shoulders move in a light shrug. "I agree. That would be quite the shame, my Thane. I wouldn't enjoy glancing at it so much if it were ruined."

Her deadpan response nearly stopped me in my tracks. "I guess it's only fair, considering how often my eyes wind up on your chest," I managed to reply smoothly. She was getting better at catching me flatfooted, I had to give her that.

"Doesn't the armour get in the way?"

"A little, but I'll take what I can get. Beggars can't be choosers."

"Oh, is _that_ why I caught you in bed with a human?"

I could swear I felt my face heat up and I wondered if the red scales streaking across it were glowing. I decided not to ask Lydia. I doubted I could look her in the eye, anyway. "To be fair, she approached me."

Her eyes once again looked over at me. I briefly pondered why I had let myself catch up with her. "How does that change anything?"

"It makes it not my fault," I said quickly. "How was I to resist her feminine wiles? I'm only a man. Male. Whatever."

"That's true. With a mind so simple, I suppose it's only to be expected that you're so easily distracted," she quipped with a faint snicker. As much as I didn't like the attack on my gender, I at least had to smile with relief that we were back to normal after the incident at Mistwatch.

"What can I say? After spending almost two weeks on a frozen mountaintop I couldn't argue with warming up a little bit. Turns out there are no female Greybeards." I grimaced at the unbidden mental image. "Come to think of it, that's probably a good thing. The last thing I would've needed is some old woman who hasn't seen a working penis in decades trying to seduce me. I don't think I'd have the stomach for it."

Lydia's laugh made my smile widen slightly. "That would certainly be something to see, my Thane," she said with clear amusement.

We lapsed into comfortable silence as the sun started to touch the tree line until I spotted a trail leading off the road. Behind me I heard Lydia ask where we were headed. "Maybe it leads to a cave or something. I dunno. I just want to find somewhere to sleep," I shrugged. "That and I smell water up here and I could use a rinse after Riften. Just being in that place made me feel dirty." I frowned at the thought of my sister still being there. I worried about her in a place like that; not that I'd ever admit that to anyone but myself. She couldn't start thinking I actually cared or she'd never leave me alone.

I noted the small pond to the side of the trail on our way past. I was curious about what this small path cut through the woods was leading to. I could see recent footprints in the dirt, even in the waning orange light of the setting sun. Another path broke off further on, though I couldn't tell where it went and I didn't much care. There was nothing of note that my senses could pick up that way.

It only took a few minutes to find the end of the path. "What is this, a mine?" I asked aloud as we approached the wooden door set into the wall of rock before us. "That's a little disappointing."

I heard a shout from behind us an turned to see a woman wearing thick, black robes preparing a spell. My eyes shot wide as she conjured a wispy apparition in the form of a wolf. It bared fangs of smoke and snarled at me in a hollow, soulless tone.

"Wuld," my Voice carried me the short distance to the spell caster in an instant. The soft hiss of steel against leather was followed closely by the gentle _spack_ of my blade through her throat. Brown eyes went wide with shock and agony and the familiar dispersed as quickly as it had appeared.

I turned to Lydia as the mage's body dropped in a crumpled, gurgling heap. "Looks like I'm getting better at that," I smirked in some form of morbid triumph as I sheathed my sword. It was something I had started practising against the spiders at the village earlier that day. I figured that if I could catch single opponents well enough unawares I stood a good chance of killing them before they had a chance to react. I was rather proud of how quickly I'd mastered my Voice and learned to use it in combat.

Lydia nodded and turned back to the door that seemed much less like it lead to a mine. "Are you sure you want to go in here, my Thane?" she asked.

I was already halfway to the door by the time she turned back. "Damn right I am. If they're willing to just attack people without even a warning, there's clearly something important going on here."

I could feel her frown, even without looking at her. "As you wish," she agreed nonetheless. At least I could always rely on her loyalty to keep me from getting myself killed.

We immediately came upon a wooden structure leading into tunnels dug through the rock of the mountain. "It's an excavation," I muttered aloud. Any pondering on what these people might be digging for was stopped short by the dry, hollow grumble of a draugr. It shuffled towards us with a speed it didn't seem anything lacking most of its muscle mass should have. Lydia caught its strike on her shield and gave me a chance to hack through its spine with a hard swipe of my sword. The husk fell to the ground, the magic animating it dissipating.

"Conjuration magic and draugr guards? This promises to be fun," I let a wide smirk pull my lips back when Lydia cast a sceptical glance my way.

"You seem a little more...bloodthirsty than normal, my Thane," she noted.

"I feel a little more bloodthirsty than normal," I laughed. "Maybe it's because I didn't get much of a fight out of those spiders earlier. I'm feeling pretty strung out."

My housecarl frowned slightly but said nothing. We headed into the tunnels leading into the rocky caverns. More than once we came across a few draugr workers or guards, though they were easily dispatched. It wasn't until we were deep into the carved out stone that we came across other mages.

Steel bit against bone as I carved down another draugr. Lydia and I had come across what looked like a living area populated by half a dozen mages and a number of undead soldiers. The smell of burnt air hit my nose and I spun and raised my free left arm to catch the oncoming shower of a mage's lightning on my forearm. The limb went numb aside from the viciously prickling pain running through my skin and muscle. I grit my teeth against the pain and forced as much of my own magical power into the arm. My own lightning spell leapt from my hand and quickly overwhelmed my opponent's, forcing him to move back and out of range.

"Wuld!" I Shouted, flashing past his companion's familiar and a draugr to appear between them. The tip of my blade sliced through cloth, flesh and bone on its way through the first mage's ribcage. I spun on my heel and drew my second sword from its sheath in a blurred swipe that liberated the other mage's head from his shoulders.

Two down, I thought as my eyes flicked over to Lydia running a third through the stomach. I let the bodies now behind me simply fall off my blades. They were sharp enough that they didn't bind on bone; if they were stuck, they just cut their way through.

Some dark part of me had been awakened by the sight of my sister, I realized when I caught myself relishing the feeling of the bodies' flesh parting. I had been reminded of who I was born to be. Kailev-Tel, the next in line for the title of Rak-Xileel and General of Black Marsh.

Training that had been long forgotten since taking to the roads of Tamriel rose to the forefront of my mind as I narrowly ducked a draugr's incoming blade. Hack the knee with one blade while the other gouges the stomach. Most opponents could only guard one and both were crippling. With the collection of scraps and bones before me, though, I had to aim for the spine and grit my teeth at the feeling of my blades dulling as they tore through the bone.

A flicker of light to my side caught enough of my attention for me to bring my left sword into the oncoming path of the small shot of fire. Despite its size the fireball packed a mean enough punch to wrench the molten blade from my hand. I saw surprise flicker through my target's eyes the moment before my returned firebolt caught him in the ribs. My spell didn't have enough force behind it to be outright lethal but he wasn't likely to recover quickly from the scorching blow.

I took the opportunity to cross the short distance between myself and my opponent. I must have been quite the sight, leaping over a table to land on a badly wounded mage and carve a deep, gory rift in his shoulder. I distantly noted that the wound was much like my own. He wasn't going to heal quite so well as I had, though.

The sound of my housecarl's sharp bark of pain caught my attention. She was fending off the last two mages, a pair of felled draugr at her feet. The constant barrage of flames and the gnashing smoke of the familiar's teeth were beginning to wear on her shield.

Another Shout carried me to the conjurer. She surprised me with a shot of flame that I barely managed to avoid. I could feel the heat of it as it passed by my cheek. My sword crashed against the protective spell she had covering her body like a layer of glowing dust. The magical armour flashed a bright blue as my sword caught against it again and again. The mage's eyes filled with fear as she realized she could devote no more energy to her defences. "P-please..." she managed to choke out as her barrier burst into the aether.

Any more pleas for mercy were cut off by my sword carving into her throat. A similar sound behind me alerted me to Lydia's kill. Slipping my sword back into its sheath, I turned from the corpse bleeding on my boots to survey the area. Makeshift tables and bedrolls were soaked in blood and covered in bone dust. It was the sight of a successful battle, I thought with a smirk. Lydia and I had a handful of minor injuries but nothing that would cause much more than discomfort.

My eyes landed on the woman wiping her blade off on a clean spot of a dead sorcerer's robe. She looked back at me and I was struck for a moment by her fierce sort of beauty. A streak of blood ran from some matted hair stuck to her cheek and her neck. She had a small gash on her left arm just above her shield where some lucky draugr's blade had managed to barely catch her. Her skin was lightly red from the exertion and she was breathing with a slight pant.

I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath to calm myself. I was getting too caught up in the General thing. I hadn't given my family any serious thought in years and had long ago buried any training or habits that may have given away my heritage. Seeing my sister had rushed it all back to the surface and I was just jittery from adrenaline.

To give myself something to do - and because it bothered me that Lydia was injured - I grabbed a potion that I could only assume by its blood red colour was a restorative. I popped the cork and took a whiff. The bitter, invigorating smell proved my assumption correct. "Here, you need this more than I do," I offered.

She accepted it with a brief thanks and took a swig. It wouldn't heal instantaneously, but it would certainly help speed it up. It occurred to me that we would have to pick up some more healing potions when we got to Windhelm. They had been very useful for keeping Lydia in good shape. I frowned at the thought that I could heal myself with my magic but not her. It was a skill outside of my knowledge. I made a mental note to rectify that.

We took another look around the area for anything of use. After turning up some gold and a few bits of enchanted jewellery we headed into the tunnel at the bottom of a ramp at the far end of the room.

"They dug for a tomb?" I asked aloud as we passed by rows of bodies in various states of decay. "I guess I'm not the only one who likes crawling around in dungeons looking for treasure. Who'd have thought?"

Lydia shook her head at me with an exasperated sounding sigh. "At least you're honest about it, I suppose," she bemoaned my reckless habits.

"I hold no illusions about my way of life. I have to say it's gotten much more exciting since coming to Skyrim," I said and shot her a wide grin. "Back in Cyrodiil or Hammerfell anything worth taking from tombs like this is long gone. Considering the stalwart defenders you have inside and the love of foolish puzzles, though, I'm not terribly surprised there's still valuable stuff in these places. Makes it more fun to go diving for it." I laughed aloud at the soft sigh of Lydia's disapproval.

Any further banter was cut off by the sound of a soft click. I knew the sound well and when the ceiling began to rush towards me I reacted on instinct and dropped to the rapidly rising floor. Before it drove me into the dozen or so metal spikes sticking down from the ceiling I rolled off the edge of the escalating platform and dropped several feet to the ground below. "Are you hurt, my Thane?" Lydia asked automatically.

"I'm fine, only fell about seven feet," I wheezed before pushing myself back to my feet. The impact had knocked the wind out of me but otherwise I was uninjured. It certainly could have gone worse.

We soon came upon a pair of draugr guarding another tunnel. "Well this looks like it leads somewhere important," I remarked and drew my sword. My increasingly practised Shout left my lips and I appeared next to one of the skeletal defenders. I had it hacked in two before it had a chance to raise its blade. The second was faster on the draw, though, and I had to catch its blade across mine to keep it from finding my flesh.

I proved to be enough of a distraction for Lydia to cut the draugr down from behind. At least the undead tended to be fairly stupid. "We're getting good at this," I cast what I felt to be a sly smirk at my housecarl. I probably just looked cocky.

"You seem to have embraced your gift, my Thane," Lydia said with a damn near proud look.

"It wasn't for lack of desire before," I shrugged. "After I killed that first dragon I wanted to learn how to control something like that. With the trouble I get myself into, I'll take whatever help I can get."

"I seem to remember you saying you don't much want to be Dragonborn," my housecarl gave me a curious look as we headed into the tunnel.

"It isn't that I don't want the power of the Voice. I just don't want to be tied to a set fate like that," I admitted. "I don't like being told what to do, I guess."

"I see," was the only response I got from Lydia before we came upon a room that was actually noteworthy. A walkway stretched from one end to the other with a curving ramp carved into the rock leading up to an area I couldn't see.

I may have been more cautious in my approach had I been able to scout it out beforehand. Two draugr stood by the walkway while a mage and a construct of fire were at a table at the far end of the room. I directed Lydia to the two draugr while I turned to face the others. It may have been selfish, but I much preferred the idea of her taking on a few scattered bones held together by half-broken armour and flaking skin while I dealt with a flame atronach and possibly skilled mage.

Definitely skilled mage, I thought with a grimace as I narrowly ducked an incoming firebolt. "Wuld," my Voice seemed to startle him enough for me to draw my sword. He dodged a short slash and let loose a stream of fire. The flames exploded around us when I slashed through them. Time seemed to slow as we stared at each other through the swirling fire. The sharp edge of my sword glinted in the light just before it tore through the mage's robe, though I only barely caught his skin before he leapt away from me.

He was fast, I noted with a frown before being forced to duck another shot of fire, this time from the atronach behind me. I was trying to kill the mage as I assumed he had conjured the thing. If he died then the atronach would just dissipate like any other familiar. He was proving a troubling foe, though.

I let out another Shout and slammed straight into my opponent. I gripped his loose-fitting robe and drove my sword into his stomach. His eyes flashed with pain before they closed and he slumped forward. I was about to turn and check on Lydia when a searing pain tore into my arm. I spun around to find the atronach still bearing down on me. Apparently someone else had conjured it.

"Dammit," I growled and charged it. I narrowly avoided another shot and caught the edge of my sword across its midsection. A shower of sparks rained around us though it didn't look to have done much. I swore again and dodged away from its flaming strikes.

I slipped my sword back into its sheath, knowing it wasn't going to help me right now. Cold gathered in my palm and I let out torrent of ice and wind at the flaming creature. Steam erupted around it as the ice almost instantly boiled away on contact. When it cleared, though, one of its arms had gone dark. It looked like a dead ember and simply crumbled away. A smirk split my face as I thought of the troll from the Throat of the World.

Ice swirled around both my hands before gathering between them and blasting as one concentrated spell. Steam and vapour once again burst forth. I held the stream for a few seconds before exhaustion forced me to drop it. The smoke and steam cleared to reveal a collapsing mass of ash and ice.

The sound of collapsing bones drew my attention to the end of Lydia's fight. As I had expected, she had cut them down with relative ease, even if she took her time about it. At least she looked uninjured. The pain in my arm flared and drew my attention to the nasty burn stretching most of my bicep. After the ice spell, I didn't have the energy left to heal it with magic. It seemed I would have to deal with it until it for the night healed naturally.

"You alright?" I called out to my housecarl. She gave me a nod back and turned to look down the walkway. I turned to the stone pillars at the back of the room. "Why does _every_ stupid tomb have a puzzle?" I grumbled and walked towards the pillars. "I swear I've seen these symbols before..." They were the same whale, hawk and snake as the puzzle in Bleak Falls Barrow. "Are these animals special to Nords or something?" I asked and shot my housecarl a curious look.

"Why do you ask, my Thane?" she returned my expression.

"Those animals are always on these stupid puzzles," I frowned as I thought further on the matter. "Come to think of it, those stupid claw doors always use the same animals, too. Why were your ancestors so unoriginal?"

She returned my frown at the lambasting of her ancestors. As though it was my fault they so dearly loved deadly traps and convoluted puzzles that always involved the same three animals. "They are animals involved in many myths," she offered with a shrug. "Perhaps a great many of the people who built these tombs liked the same stories?"

I stifled a laugh at the explanation. "Maybe," I managed to work my lips into a respectable smile. I didn't know why I was so entertained by the simple answer. It hadn't occurred to me that maybe all the important people in Skyrim just liked their stories. I only knew what I did of Argonian legend because of the incessantly pious members of my family.

A dark spot on a table behind Lydia caught my attention. I saw a book sitting on a stone table next to a podium bearing a steel chain. I brushed past her and walked to the table. The book was old and worn and I had to be careful not to tear it while I flipped through the pages. I frowned as key words flicked by. Eagle, Snake...I looked over to the pillars and sighed. It really was so simple. "Stupid bitch. Why didn't she just throw the snake outside or something?" I muttered as I finished the story.

Lydia complied without argument as I told her how to arrange the blocks of stone. While she worked I noticed that the wall across from me was lined with a dozen or so very conspicuous holes. "There's no way it's that obvious and not going to still fire off if this is right," I turned another frown at my housecarl.

"What are you grousing about, my Thane?" Lydia teased.

"That wall's set up to look like if we mess up the lock, it'll shoot darts at us," I nodded my head towards the set of holes. "But it's way too obvious. It's probably going to go off, even if we get the combination right."

My companion rolled her eyes at me and pulled the chain. "You're being paranoid," she said.

I eyed the wall suspiciously until the gate at the far end of the hall opened. "I'm being cautious. I'm not a fan of being shot by darts."

"How can you even be annoyed by them?" she asked with genuine curiosity. "You're wearing armour and the wounds would probably have healed by morning."

"It still hurts," I frowned as we started down the walkway to the end of the hall.

"It can't bother you that much. I've seen you stand your ground against a dragon's fire without even flinching," she pointed out.

"That wasn't exactly my choice. There wasn't a whole lot of time to get out of the way," I rolled my eyes at her. It seemed strange for me to be the one rolling their eyes.

We were too distracted in our banter to notice the pressure plate on the walkway or the strangely hawk-like gargoyle built into the wall beside us. When I heard the telltale_ click_ my eyes caught sight of the too-black spot in the stone figure's mouth. I grabbed Lydia and dove forward on instinct just in time for a fiery spray to douse the area we had just been standing on.

I looked at the fire, then back to Lydia. "See? When I'm given the choice, I'd much rather not stand in front of fire." The hand she had used to catch herself with shifted on my waist and I realized our position. Apparently my body had seen it necessary to cover her and shield her from the fire without the thought ever actually crossing my mind.

"Things always seem to get quite hot around you, my Thane," I didn't miss the sly tone Lydia's voice took.

"It's my curse," I said with an easy shrug and pushed myself back to my feet. I extended my hand to offer her help and smirked at the frown that flashed over her lips. Some dusty tomb wasn't where I wanted this to happen when I remembered the perfectly find pond not far away. Surely the water wouldn't be _that_ cold.

Lydia took my hand and I pulled her back to her feet. I wondered how much of the weight was her and how much was just in the armour. She didn't look terribly thick the times I had seen her nude. She nodded her thanks and suggested we press on, perhaps a bit too eagerly. I walked off ahead without another word, knowing she would be right behind me.

* * *

><p>"I feel the need to reiterate my distaste for your ancestors," I pointed a frown at Lydia as we escaped yet another room loaded in traps. "I almost got thrown right off the walkway by that spiked wall. I'm tough, but I don't think I'm that tough."<p>

"At least the traps are working properly," she said with an offhanded sort of shrug.

My lips pulled back in a frown at that. "I'd be greatly appreciative if they weren't. I'm curious as to how whoever came here first made it through."

"What makes you think someone else has come through here?"

"I can hear them yapping up ahead," I said with a nod to the room at the end of the tunnel. "They sound old and angry. Really angry."

As we entered the room we found ourselves standing at the base of a large altar. At the top I could see some old woman in a black robe chanting before a pair of standing stone coffins. "We always meet the most interesting people," I chuckled with a glance at my housecarl.

My voice attracted the attention of the mage above us. She spun around and glowered down at me. "Intruders! Here to stop me from reclaiming my husband," she shrieked. "The Legion took him from me, but even death won't keep him away! I will have my..."

Any further ranting was cut off by a quick shot of fire from my palm. I was growing really quite fond of my newest spell. "Holy shit. I've never actually thought of shooting them while they were talking," I laughed.

My jubilation was quickly ended as the doors on coffins above us dropped open to reveal a pair of draugr, though they were far better armed and armoured than the typical. I pointed Lydia to the one on the left while I dashed up the altar towards my own target. I noticed as I got closer that the one Lydia was moving to engage had once been female and the story from before flickered back into my mind. These must have been the entombed bodies of Holgeir and Fjori. I could only wonder what the woman had intended to do by resurrecting them.

I ducked under the initial swing of my opponent's axe and tried to strike at his somewhat exposed midsection with the tip of my sword. His shield moved quickly to intercede, however, and my sword deflected harmlessly away. "He couldn't have gotten decrepit from being dead?" I grumbled angrily. I dodged to the side quickly to avoid another swipe and decided magic was probably going to do me well.

The decision turned out to be a misleading glimmer of false hope. Flames licked hungrily at the dusty metal of his shield, though they didn't seem to do much to stop him advancing. I thought of lightning but it seemed useless to electrocute something with no flesh to burn. I really would need to defeat this thing with my sword.

I charged hastily, narrowly avoiding a quick slash from the brutal looking axe. Even in death, Holgeir's corpse wielded the weapon with deadly speed and efficiency. My sword clashed once more against its shield, though that held the benefit of getting me close enough to use my Voice without fear of reprisal. "Fus Ro!" I Shouted into the dead body's face. The strength of my Thu'um blasted it off its feet.

Its shield shot up with surprising quickness and kept my sword from its neck. I caught its axe across my forearm to keep it from hacking out my stomach. I hopped back and within seconds I could feel the blood trickling through my fingers. I figured the draugr had cut down to the bone, based on how sharp the pain was deep inside the vicious wound. The sounds of Lydia's fight echoed behind me, though with each clash of metal I at least knew she hadn't been felled.

Holgeir's body didn't give me much time to dwell on the situation before it was swinging its axe at me in wide, powerful hacks. Its shield let it lunge in great swings without exposing too much of its body. I greatly lamented my lack of a second blade to compensate for the draugr's defence.

I grit my teeth against the plan my mind quickly devised to deal with the cadaver's axe. I let the blade carve into my side, though I managed to catch the draugr's wrist in my hand and lessen the blow slightly. My hand clutched tight on the bones and dried skin to hold the arm in place so I could chop it off at the elbow. I slammed my foot into the shield before me and sent Holgeir's body tumbling down the altar.

The axe clattered to the floor and I did my best to shut the pain of my gouged side out of my mind. The draugr wouldn't stay down for long but I elected to take whatever chance I had to help Lydia. I dashed over to her fight in time to catch her opponent's sword arm with my blade as it wound up to swing. As luck would have it, the now detached arm whipped around and the sword held in its hand slashed against my arm. My housecarl took the opportunity to drive her sword through the creature's skull and finish it.

I spun around to parry an attack from Holgeir's draugr. It had discarded its shield in favour of continuing its assault with the axe, though without the wall of metal I had little trouble cutting it down.

"Don't even ask," I responded to the question I knew to be on Lydia's lips when I pressed a hand to my bleeding side. Golden light lit up the hand to mend the gruesome wound, though I ran out of energy just after getting it to seal. It was bound to be a jagged scar by morning.

A sudden chill swept through the room and I turned to see two spectral silhouettes emerge from the caskets. Eventually the wispy forms coalesced into two humanoid beings. "Thank you for preserving our rest," the female said with a short nod.

"As a token of our thanks, take this blade," the male motioned his hand toward a pedestal on a table between the two coffins. A second later and an ethereal sword was standing atop it, hovering slightly above the stone. "It will never dull and will slip past any armour to carve into the spirit beneath."

With that, both ghosts vanished from sight. "Well that was all rather...fantastic," I said with a surprised laugh. Even in spite of my pain I couldn't help but find the whole situation a little ridiculous.

Lydia turned a cunning look on me. My shoulders tightened slightly in cautious anticipation. "It was almost like something from an old legend...my Prince," she sounded far too much like she had just reached a decision.

"Don't even think about it," I warned and walked to the sword hovering before me. I didn't know what I'd do if Lydia actually started to refer to me with _that_ title. I grasped the immaterial hilt of the weapon and slashed it through the air. I was expecting it to be completely weightless, but there was a bizarre sort of heft to it. Like my movements were only slowed by it cutting through the air.

I also noticed that the blade was near transparent when it wasn't being waved around. I looked down at my empty sheath and tried slipping the blade inside. To my surprise it actually felt as though it were sliding into the scabbard, though there was once again an odd resistance to it.

"I really can't say no to a sword that isn't going to break on me," I shrugged regardless of any reservations I may have had about the blade.

A pink glimmer caught my eye and I turned back to the table set into the stone wall. There was a golden box hanging open with a pink jewel suspended above its base. "What do you think this would be worth to the right person?" I asked as I held it up for Lydia to see. "There's no way there isn't someone in this world who's willing to buy this for way too much money. I've seen way too many extravagant collections to believe otherwise."

Lydia just rolled her eyes, shook her head and suggested we find a way out of the tomb. I wholeheartedly agreed and we pressed on. It didn't take long to find the small camp the old mage had set up near the tomb. I found a condolence letter from the Imperial Legion explaining the apparent husband's death. I still didn't know what all that had to do with a couple of dead bodies but if I had cared about that I wouldn't have shot her in the face with a blast of fire.

I briefly debated settling down for the night, but I was far too interested in bathing in the pond I had seen outside. I could feel the dust and decay of the tomb clinging to me. "I'm going to go find that pool outside and wash off the filth I've managed to collect since the last time I was in water," I informed my housecarl and then frowned at the thought of how long ago that had been. I was grateful I couldn't sweat or I would have surely smelled quite foul by now.

I was surprised when Lydia voiced her desire to join me, but I wasn't going to argue. If she was still willing to bathe with me after learning of my attraction to humans, it wasn't my place to complain. Although I had to say it was getting harder to stand by my decision to let her be the one to instigate any intimacy between us.

* * *

><p>My armour fell to the ground just above the pond's shore with a dull rustle. The air was cool but far from unbearable on my bare skin. Still, it remained to be seen how cold the water was. There was still a chance I was going to regret the decision to try and clean the dirt and grime of travel away.<p>

Vibrant colours stretched above the trees as the sun started to dip below the horizon. I was surprised as how quickly we had made our way through the tombs. I paused for a moment to admire the sunset. It painted quite the pretty picture, with dusty purples and dark oranges providing a colourful backdrop to the evergreens surrounding the clearing around the pond. A small river fed the pond from a small cave sitting at the back of the small body of water but we hadn't seen any tracks around so we assumed it to be safe. Besides, the worst there could be was a troll or something and I had already killed one of those so I figured there wouldn't be anything to worry about.

"A question, my Prince," Lydia spoke up as I removed my boots.

"Stop calling me that and I'll think about answering it," I frowned at her. She returned a simple smile as she worked at the bindings of her armour. I let out a long sigh when I realized she was content to wait me out. "Fine, I haven't denied telling you anything, yet," I relented and started to work on my pants.

Her armour hit the ground with much more noise than mine had. "Do you find me attractive?" the blunt question gave me enough pause to stop my hands as they prepared to push my armoured trousers down my legs. Of course, it may have also been her suddenly nude torso once she tossed away her undershirt.

I shook my head and quickly set back to work on removing the last of my clothing. "Is there a reason I shouldn't?" I asked back.

"Then why..." she began, though she stopped short after I kicked away my pants and stood before her naked as the day I was born.

"Do you find me attractive?" I queried with a smirk. I didn't miss the way her eyes quickly flicked across my body.

She shook her head much as I had and a pretty blush rose to her cheeks. "Of course," she answered with little hesitation. "You know your appearance, my Prince."

As much as I hated to admit it, I was starting to like the way she said that. "I know I look like a giant black and grey lizard," I shrugged and stepped into the water. A quiet hiss passed through my teeth at the initial shock of it. It was chilly, but after the time I had spent on High Hrothgar I doubted anything was going to feel particularly frigid.

"You also look like some divine champion carved from stone," she said. I wasn't sure if my dark scales would serve to hide my blush. I wondered briefly if the red lines tracing around the bones of my face were starting to glow. It seemed like far too great a compliment for someone who wished to be completely ordinary. I was just physically fit from years of travel and combat.

"Thanks," I murmured.

She seemed to greatly enjoy my discomfort at her praise, if her smile was any indication. A second clatter told me that she had divested herself of the rest of her armour and I could feel the water shift to accommodate her presence. "Although to be fair, I suppose you_ are_ a divine champion. And royalty," she reminded me with far too much amusement in her voice. "I can't imagine why any woman wouldn't want you."

"Now you just sound like my sister," I turned to look back at her with a frown. Her nudity once again caught my attention but I was enough used to it that I withheld the urge to ogle. "And just like I've told her, the scales, horns and tail generally put people off."

"You didn't seem to have much trouble with that bandit," Lydia reminded me yet again. Her voice held a surprising teasing quality, though, unlike the other times when she had frowned while speaking of my embarrassment. "I have to admit, you made quite a sight fucking her like a rabid animal."

My eyes widened but I resisted the urge to drop my mouth open. I had never heard my housecarl curse like that before. I composed myself quickly enough that I hoped my smirk was believable. I turned around to face her fully and folded my arms over my chest. "A little jealous?" I asked.

I hadn't actually realized how close she had gotten until I turned around or that the water was all that was preserving my dignity. As much as I was far from ashamed by the size of my manhood the cold water wasn't helping to make me seem any more impressive. "Why would I be jealous?" she returned with a smirk of her own. "After all..." she folded her arms under her breasts. I couldn't help but notice the way she lifted them slightly, nor could I miss the way the cool air and water had tightened her nipples into hard nubs. "I already know how much you want me."

Pride and personal decisions be damned, I thought. In a flash I had one hand holding the back of her head and the other gripping her hip. My lips crushed against hers and I heard the faintest surprised squeak. For the briefest instant I thought I had made an immense error in judgement and prepared to pull back until her hands snapped up to grip my shoulder and neck. She kissed me back with a passion I assumed came from weeks of sexual tension between us.

Had it been weeks? I mused absently as I nipped gently at her bottom lip. I knew enough to be gentle, considering the sharpness of my teeth. How long we had known each other became irrelevant when her hand started sliding down my side to land at my waist. I hissed quietly against her lips when her fingers passed over what remained of my axe wound. Her hand dragged across my skin with agonizing slowness.

"Hey, who's there?" an angry shout interrupted us just as her hand began to slide further down.

I tore my lips away from Lydia's and directed a glare that I prayed would hold enough rage to set the man standing at the mouth of a nearby cave ablaze. At that moment all I wished for was a spell to make him vanish into nothingness so we could return to our intimate business.

"Does it matter? You're interrupting," I barked.

"Interrupting what? Was that woman actually going to touch your scaly hide?" even from our distance I could see the man's sneer. His sword slipped from its sheath and I could see it flicker in the dying sunlight. "Maybe she should come see what a man's touch is like instead of settling for some disgusting lizard."

Any doubts as to the hostility of the newcomer were extinguished when I saw his weapon. I shot a quick bolt of fire at him, but he ducked in time to be showered in sparks from the shot impacting on the wall. He disappeared inside shouting something to what I could only assume were any others staying in the cave.

I waded over to the shore and picked up my sword. I heard Lydia let out what sounded for all the world like a frustrated sigh. "It figures the one time I actually go for it..." I muttered angrily to myself. "Find somewhere to hide. I'm gonna lay in the water and wait for them to show up."

"We don't know how many..."

"I don't care how many there are," Lydia almost seemed taken aback by the cold fury in my voice. "I'm extraordinarily aroused and angry right now. The only way I'm going to work this out is if I tear however many of them there are apart limb from limb."

Lydia stared at me for a moment before a slow smile split her lips. "As you wish, my Prince," she actually gave me a short bow before grabbing her underclothes and disappearing into the darkness.

"...I really need to make her stop calling me that," I sighed and slipped back into the water. It was going to get me in trouble if she said that where other people could actually hear.

It wasn't long before I heard and saw the people exit the cave. I couldn't make out specifics through the rippling water, though I could see that there were four of them. It didn't seem like many but then it may have simply been a small gang. Experience with water and ambushing predators told me that it was unlikely they'd be able to make out my black and grey scales against the dark rocks and clay that lined the bottom of the pond.

My suspicions were confirmed when a boot sank into the water not a foot from my hand. I kept myself completely still. The way the figure above me was looking around I knew the person hadn't spotted me yet. I heard a shout to just grab my gear and get back to the cave and saw one of the people walk around the edge of the pond.

I was eternally grateful that they all waited for the one grabbing my armour to return before heading inside as one group. I burst from the water with the speed of a striking viper. I drove my sword through the back of the one trailing the group. He also happened to be the one carrying my armour. I slipped a dagger from his waist and drove it through the side of the next bandit's neck. A pointblank firebolt turned the head of the next one into ash and ensured I wouldn't be using any more magic for at least a few hours. The last one turned around in time to see me coming before my fist shot into his neck. My knee slammed into his unclothed chest hard enough to break a couple ribs. I swept his leg with mine and threw him to the ground so I could get enough leverage on his head to snap his neck with a sharp twist.

"Feeling better?" I turned to see Lydia standing at the mouth of the cave. She was dressed again, though I noticed that her breastplate was in her hands.

"Almost," I answered. It suddenly occurred to me that I was still completely naked and I couldn't help but glance down. "In my defence, it's quite cold."

Lydia's laugh didn't help my rapidly evaporating self-esteem. "It is," she agreed. "We should probably get back to our camp."

"Yeah," I said with a short sigh. I quickly gathered up my clothing and slipped on at least my trousers over my wet scales. My housecarl waited for me while I put on what little I felt I had to to make it back to our makeshift camp inside the tomb. "Lydia," my voice stopped her from turning and she instead directed a curious look my way. "When we get to Windhelm tomorrow, the first thing we're doing is checking in at an inn and we're not leaving until the day after."

I saw a shiver pass through her that I knew had nothing to do with the cold. "As you wish," she directed a rather sexy smirk at me that wasn't lessened in the least by the pink dusting her cheeks, "...my Prince."

* * *

><p>AN: I know what I said.


	16. Chapter 16

"Why is it so damn snowy all of a sudden?" I groused aloud and pulled my travelling cloak tighter around my shoulders.

Lydia seemed rather unconcerned with the frigid weather. "The more northern reaches of Skyrim are colder than the south. The northern coast is covered in ice year round, from what I've heard."

"Still doesn't explain why we went from sunshine and green leaves to...this," I mumbled and looked around at the snowy forest we had passed into about half an hour beforehand. "Hopefully this cold will keep that dragon away, at least."

"You're really quite paranoid about that, my Thane."

"It was staring at me. I have this unsettling feeling it knew who I am," I frowned at the thought.

"Either that or it was yet another female whose eye you've caught," my housecarl said with an all-too-easy shrug. "You seem to have a strange knack for attracting women."

"...You think that's possible?" I wasn't actually entirely sure how that thought made me feel. A female dragon wanting me... "It would be too much," I shook my head. "That's a lot of female to try and satisfy, and I get the feeling she'd just eat me if I didn't meet expectations."

"Not up to the challenge, my Prince?"

"Maybe once, if I got her really drunk," I mused. "That way I could just sneak out after she'd fallen asleep if I couldn't quite do the job."

"I can only assume how much experience you're speaking from," Lydia's smirk was plain in her voice.

"Don't worry, I won't be sneaking out in the middle of the night," I chuckled. "You're just as liable to find me and murder me as any unsatisfied dragon, I'd wager."

"Let us hope it doesn't come to that. I'd hate having to get out of bed," my housecarl chuckled back.

The town of Windhelm looked nice enough as we approached. A couple farms were further up the road, though what they could be growing in a climate like this was beyond me. The town proper lay on the other side of the river we had been following. The smell of salt nearby made me assume that the river led to the sea to the northeast. At the immediate right of the bridge leading to the town was a stable quite similar to the ones I had seen in Whiterun and Riften.

I was surprised at how high up the bridge was from the water as we crossed. There had to be almost fifty feet between the stone walkway and the icy water below. I doubted a person would survive such a fall without some level of injury. The guards at the gate shot me dirty looks as we passed, but that was nothing new. It wasn't as though I expected a warm welcome in every human city I went to.

The first thing I noticed when we got inside the town were the Nords milling about. Or rather I noticed the lack of anyone else, aside from a few other scattered humans. There wasn't a mer, Argonian or Khajiit in sight.

"Candlehearth Hall," my housecarl's quiet words caught my attention.

"An inn? Perfect," I smiled at the sight of the large stone building. "We'll just go collect our bounty and then whip back here." I almost had to laugh at Lydia's unimpressed look. She looked nearly crestfallen. I slid up behind her close enough that my chest pressed to her armoured back. "Don't worry. As soon as we have our money, we'll come here and I'll screw you senseless. Deal?" I whispered in her ear.

The shiver that passed through her didn't escape my notice. "Of course, my Thane."

"Halt! What business do you have here?" a guard stopped us as we approached the Jarl's keep.

I fished the folded bounty notice from one of my pockets. "I'm here to collect on this bounty. If I'm in the wrong place I'd be much obliged if you could point me in the right direction."

He kept his narrowed eyes on me for a moment more before begrudgingly stepping aside. "Alright, go in and speak with the steward. But we're keeping an eye on you."

"I'm flattered, but you're not my type," I smirked and brushed past the man.

"This is the first time I have seen people people act so harshly to you for your race," Lydia noted.

"Yeah, this town does seem to have a rather high concentration of assholes," I agreed. "Seems like every country has at least a couple, though. I guess it was just poor luck to stumble into this one."

We were let in through the keep's door by another guard. His wary gaze mirrored his companion's and I returned it with the same polite smile. I was many years past caring about a few racist humans. When we entered I took a glance down the large hall to see the Jarl sitting at his throne. My eyes widened in surprise. "Holy shit. I didn't know this is where Ulfric ruled," I muttered.

"You know Ulfric Stormcloak, my Thane?" Lydia's question drew my attention.

"I never told you? I was with him when I was to be executed when I got to Skyrim," I turned my head to regard her. "...I told you about _that_, right?"

"Yes, but you never mentioned that he was there."

"I probably considered that less important than the fact that I almost got my head chopped off," I said with a shrug. "Think he remembers me?"

Ulfric had another man with him. He was massive, easily half a head taller than even myself. He turned towards me and cast a heavy glare my way. "What business does an Argonian have in this place?" he asked in a deep, coarse voice.

"The mercenary kind. I'm here to collect the bounty on Mistwatch Keep. My companion and I cleared it out a couple days ago," I explained in an amicable tone.

"Do you have any proof?" the second man asked suspiciously.

"Did you want me to come in here with a sack of heads?" I asked back. "If you'd like I could take you over there and show you, but the bodies are probably rotting by now."

Despite my height, I was still forced to look up slightly as the burly man glared down at me. "I don't think I like your tone, lizard."

"Enough, Galmar. A patrol was by there recently and found it empty," Ulfric cut in. "Still, without any proof I can't award you the full bounty. I'm willing to offer three hundred septims."

"The notice just says the reward goes to anyone who clears it out. It doesn't say anything about needing proof," I argued and folded my arms across my chest. "Just like you said, they're all dead. You shouldn't need any more proof than that if no one else has claimed the bounty."

"An Argonian that can read. Imagine that," Ulfric chuckled. "Very well, you've made your point. Five hundred septims it is."

A man I assumed to be the Jarl's steward handed me an appropriately heavy coin purse. "Don't spend it all in one hole, leatherback," Galmar sneered at me.

Lydia stepped forward with a look that bordered on righteous anger. I raised a hand before she could speak. "My Thane..." she growled.

"Ha! A Thane? What sorry hold named _you_ as Thane?" Galmar barked with laughter.

"Whiterun, actually," I answered with a shrug, altogether nonplussed with his bigotry.

"Balgruuf must be hurting worse for support than I figured," Ulfric chuckled with a shake of his head.

"I know. It's quite the scandalous affair, giving a mercenary an official position. I can't ever remember attending any meetings," I shot him a smirk.

His mouth opened to say something that I could only assume was to correct me on what was shameful about my status but an alarm ringing out cut him short. A guard burst in through the doors at the end of the hall. "Jarl Ulfric! It's a dragon!" he shouted. "A dragon is assaulting the bridge!"

I didn't stick around to listen to his response. I gave one quick nod to Lydia and bolted for the doors at full sprint. We dropped our packs off at the inside of the gateway mid-stride; no one was likely to be paying much attention to them at the moment. It took less than a minute for us to reach the gate, and I was surprised that Ulfric himself was hot on our heels. Perhaps he was actually interested in seeing a dragon attacking his town.

We pushed through the gates and immediately saw the dragon midway down the bridge. It was burning and snapping through the city's guard. Its eyes shot up as soon as I arrived and it let out what could only be described as laughter. "There you are, Dovahkiin!" it called out in its language. I figured absorbing a few dragons' souls had something to do with my ability to understand it.

I frowned when I noticed that it was the same dragon that had been staring at me on the road. "Here I am!" I yelled back in the same tongue. The air shook with my Voice; it wasn't quite a full Shout but it wasn't too far off. "Are you here to speak or fight?" I continued and almost stuttered when I realized they were practically the same word.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Ulfric staring at me. I ignored him and cast off the woollen cloak tied around my shoulders. I didn't give the dragon much chance to respond before I was charging towards it with Lydia at my flank. "Yol!" it roared as I grew close and spewed a tide of flame.

"Wuld!" I Shouted in return and appeared in an instant beside the dragon's head. It looked a little surprised before my blades dug into the scales at its neck in an upward slice. They flicked back down and carved a pair of trails just behind its jaw.

It snapped at me with shocking quickness and I narrowly avoided its mouth of blades. I didn't have much luck in dodging the tail whipping at my other side, though, and was sent sailing through the air to land on the snow-covered cobblestone several feet away. My metal sword slid out of my hand and ended up somewhere in the white powder. I pushed myself up quickly and ignored the dull throb in my ribs.

Lydia had managed to distract the dragon enough to keep it from further pursuing me. It gnashed at her as she ducked and blocked with her shield. Every so often her sword would catch a horn or spot of scale and force the dragon to back away slightly. I rushed to slash at its exposed side while it was sufficiently occupied. My ghostblade cut into the soft scales there with little resistance. It let out a shriek of agony and kicked at me with its hind leg.

I dodged under the clawed limb and saw it was off-balance for a moment. "Fus Ro!" I Shouted. The force of my Voice knocked the dragon partway over, or at least enough that it had to stretch out its opposite wing to catch itself. Lydia got under the outstretched skin and cut a rough slice through it to disable any chance the dragon had at flight. Another ear-splitting roar thundered off the mountains surrounding us.

The dragon's head shot down and smacked Lydia away before it turned back to me. I hopped to the side to again avoid the thing's vicious jaws and drove my sword into its neck. It threw its head back, wrenching the blade from my hands and sending it soaring through the air and off the side of the bridge. "I can't even be surprised," I grumbled before getting caught off guard by a rapid snap of its wing.

I once more tumbled through the snow, though the blow had done little more than daze me slightly. I put my hands down to push myself to my feet and found one of them gripping the hilt of my other sword. "I guess someone really is watching out for me," I laughed and returned to the fight.

I got back a moment too late to stop a guard who had ventured into the fight from being incinerated. The dragon once more smacked Lydia far enough away to deal with me alone, though this time I saw that her shield had been knocked away from her. "Wuld!" I Shouted once more to slip past a quick bite. I took advantage of the dragon's outstretched neck and jammed my blade as far as I could into it. I made sure my grip was iron to avoid having my sword pulled away from me again.

The beast thrashed around, tearing its wound open more and throwing blood around from the wide gash. The harsh sound of metal being dented and a choked scream drew my attention to Lydia's body flying through the air, flung by a harsh crack of the flailing tail. I was somewhat shocked at the violence of its death throes. "Lydia!" I yelled when she disappeared over the bridge's edge. I didn't hesitate in releasing my sword and sprinting for it.

I could hear the dragon's body burning away as it released its soul just as I got to the edge and looked down at the water below. I took only the fraction of a second needed to spot the dark blotch and leap towards it. I prayed I could grab her and get her to safety before I was overwhelmed by absorbing the dragon's soul. A small prayer also went out to the hope that she wasn't already dead and that I wouldn't be as soon as I hit the water.

I hit the water and forced down the urge to gasp at the frigid coldness. There was no way I could run water this cold past my gills without giving them frostbite in seconds. My eyes opened just enough to spot Lydia's body suspended a few feet away. My arms wrapped under hers and I noticed that her armour was gone. My head had barely broken the surface when the dragon's soul hit me. I fought the sudden disorientation and lightheadedness and swam clumsily for the shore.

It was an odd experience, gasping for air. I stumbled onto the shore, coughing out water and trying not to drop my housecarl. Her skin was cold but her lips had yet to go blue, I noted when I deposited Lydia's body on the shore. I was breathing hard but that had as much to do with the cold as any panic or exhaustion. I honestly didn't know who would deal better with it at the moment between us. I quickly checked her signs of life and found she wasn't breathing. "Shit. Sorry," I muttered and placed my hands on her chest.

I felt the two ribs already broken from the dragon's tail on the first two compressions, then another pair snapped on the third and fourth. I hoped she wouldn't be too mad at me if she recovered. I bent down and pressed my lips to hers as well as I could to try and breath some air into her. My frantic mutterings fell on deaf ears as I went back to working her lungs.

Part of me was somewhat repulsed when my mouth ended up full of water from her lungs, though the majority of me was relieved as she rolled over coughing. On the fifth hack she finally strained hard enough to vomit a great deal more water and promptly blacked out again. "Thank the Hist," I mumbled and slipped my arms under her. She was a lot less heavy without all the armour.

I ran into Ulfric Stormcloak at the stable by the bridge. "You..." he started.

"Were at Helgen when the dragon attacked, yes. So kind of you to remember me," I replied flatly and brushed by him.

"You're the Dragonborn," he finished and sounded downright numbed by the revelation.

"Yeah, I am," I called back over my shoulder. "I also have a wounded housecarl to attend to, so you'll have to forgive me if I'm a bit too busy to sign something for you."

It was a short trip to the inn just inside the gate. "I need a room," I said as soon as I caught sight of someone behind the counter. I must have been quite the sight, with flecks of ice clinging to my still-wet armour and the unconscious woman in my arms.

"Oh, my!" the woman behind the front desk exclaimed. "Um, right this way. We still have a vacancy."

"Thanks," I replied and followed her down the short hall. Doors lined it on either side and I had noticed a stairwell near the entrance that led to a second floor. I also distantly noticed that the building was quite warm, considering the snow outside. I figured it must have had a good hearth, rather than the candle that the name of the inn suggested.

The room was, inconveniently enough, at the far end of the hall. The woman opened the door and let me brush past and into the room. "I'll get you your money once I have her situated," I said over my shoulder as I gently laid Lydia on the floor. It wouldn't do to get the solitary bed in the room wet and cold from her saturated clothes.

"Of course. I'll just be at the front desk," the woman said with a surprisingly calm and polite smile, given the situation. She left a moment later, her soft footsteps echoing in the otherwise quiet hallway.

I worked at Lydia's armour, though the wet leather was hard to work with my freezing hands. It was easy to ignore how cold I was until I was calmed down and focused on it. It was hard to keep myself from shivering but fixing up Lydia was more important. Once I got her out of her clothes and into the bed I knew I at least wouldn't have to worry about her succumbing to hypothermia.

It took a couple of minutes to get her armour off and I chuckled at the thought that I had missed a great opportunity with her already out of it the night before. Now some dragon had shown up and spoiled the chance for us both to have some fun. "Why can't things ever go smoothly?" I mumbled to myself and carefully lifted Lydia onto the bed.

Were the situation not quite so dire I likely would have admired her nude body. With the dark purple blotches on her chest and sides reminding me of her broken ribs, however, it was hard to enjoy it. Her shield arm was heavily bruised but a quite inspection assured me that it at least wasn't broken. When she woke it would do me well to have some hot food and a healing potion ready for her.

I gently bundled her in the bed's blankets and hastily left the room. "Could I have some food prepared for when she wakes up?" I asked as I arrived at the woman's desk. I set down a handful of septims on the counter that I hoped would be enough to cover the room.

To my surprise there were actually a few left over once the woman was done taking her fee. "Not a problem. I'll have our cook put on some stew," she said with another of her polite smiles. It was nice to meet someone in this town that didn't immediately sneer at me, I thought. "What happened to you two, anyway?" she asked just as I turned towards the door.

"Did you hear all that ruckus earlier?" I asked and she nodded in response.

"I heard the guards shouting something about a dragon."

"Yeah, well, they don't take too kindly to being killed," I chuckled. "We got a bit banged up helping the guards take it down. I just need to grab our supplies so I can get her properly fixed up."

"I'll be sure to let her know where you went if she wakes up before you get back." Another smile. I was starting to enjoy them.

I thanked her and quickly left. The sun was setting far too quickly for my tastes, though I couldn't make it out too well through the thick, snow-filled clouds above. I ran through the streets to the Jarl's keep. I had long forgotten about the ice lacing my armour, the cold having since turned to simple numbness. Any dry clothes were in the packs, and even that would have to wait until I'd tended to Lydia's wounds. At least I wasn't quite so cold-blooded as an ordinary lizard, I mused.

I had hoped to slip into the Jarl's keep unnoticed and collect our packs without incident or even having him catch sight of me. "Dragonborn!" judging by his call, however, it seemed Ulfric had other ideas.

I looked up from the bags to see him approaching with his beast, Galmar. I narrowed my eyes without thinking about who I was glaring at. "I'm just here to grab my stuff," I said and turned towards the doors. "I still have a wounded housecarl to tend to. If you're so desperate to continue our earlier chat now that you know you've made a fool of yourself, you're going to have to wait."

"There's no way some slimy lizard could be the Dragonborn, my Lord. I'm afraid we're wasting our time," Galmar glowered down at me as he spoke. He seemed utterly offended by the possibility.

"You saw him use the Voice just as I did, Galmar, and he spoke their language as though it were natural. Even I cannot do that," to his credit, Ulfric didn't sound much happier with the prospect of my status.

"What can I say? I guess the gods have a sense of humour," I scoffed. "Although, considering the stellar job you humans are doing handling the Aldmeri and your civil wars I can't imagine why any divine power would want to choose someone else."

Galmar looked ready to throw a punch and I was tempted to entice him further. A shiver reminded me of both my own current state and Lydia's before I could start a fight. "You have a lot of nerve, speaking to the rightful High King like that," the beast growled at me.

"I've killed a few too many dragons for a man's title to intimidate me," I finally made it to the doors. Escape seemed a wondrous prospect. I was far too ready for a fight and that wouldn't be good for Lydia.

"I wish to have a talk with you, when you get the time," Ulfric cut in before his man could speak further.

"I might come back later. We'll see where my mood goes," I answered after a moment. I was never one to hold a grudge, but I wasn't terribly interested in hearing what he had to say, either. I assumed it would just be a request - or demand - that I join the Stormcloaks in their rebellion.

It only took a couple of minutes to return to the inn, though when I arrived in the room Lydia was still unconscious. I frowned and promptly dug out our bandages and thread for stitching up her gashes. The dragon's teeth and claws as well as her own shredded armour had all been unkind to her flesh and she didn't have the luxury of the Histskin like I did.

Years of patching up my own more serious wounds made quick work of the quarter-dozen cuts on her arms and torso. Bandaging her ribs up took a short time more, but it still only took a few minutes. When she still made no move to rouse from her slumber I set a healing potion down on the table next to the bed and set about divesting myself of my icy armour.

I didn't realize how cold I had gotten until I was dressed in dry clothes. I had made sure to grab some ordinary civilian clothing at the market in Riften to avoid being without in case my armour degraded too badly again. I even managed to avoid tearing any of the collar on my horns as I pulled on the shirt and felt oddly accomplished in that.

I retrieved another blanket for myself from the kind woman at the front desk, who I learned was named Elda. "Thanks for all your help. My arrival here in Windhelm has been less than hospitable," I said with a chuckle and a returned smile.

"Happy to help," she said. "Although I have to wonder, are you and her...?"

"Thane and housecarl, yes," as much as I didn't like to advertise my title, I knew it would get the inquisitive woman away from that line of thought. "We're from Whiterun. It's quite the thing, eh? A mercenary being given an official position. Quite progressive."

"I'm certain there are those who aren't so much concerned with your chosen line of work as your race," Elda said rather bluntly. "Better an Argonian than a Dunmer, though. Dirty grey-skins are better off staying in Morrowind if you ask me."

"Well, there's something to be said for progress, I suppose," I mumbled and returned to my room. I wrapped myself in the newly acquired blanket and sat down in a chair I moved next to the bed. Before letting myself doze off I made sure there was a healing potion on the table next to the bed.

* * *

><p>I couldn't have been asleep for long before Lydia's stirring woke me up. I hastily leaned forward and put on arm on her shoulder as she tried to rise. "Hold on, you're pretty banged up," I said gently and eased her back down. Her breathing was shallow from her broken ribs, but at least she was awake.<p>

"I feel like I was crushed by a giant's club," she muttered weakly.

"A dragon's tail, actually, but they probably hurt about the same," I laughed quietly. "Considering how far you flew, I'd say you're lucky you only got a few broken ribs."

"I was thrown clear of the bridge, wasn't I?" she smiled as I handed her the healing potion. "I'm surprised I'm not a touch more chilled."

"I made sure you weren't in the water for too long. If I hadn't broken more of your ribs resuscitating you I might think you owe me for jumping off a bridge after you."

"You're a madman, my Thane," she said with a wince after drinking some of the potion.

"Without a doubt, but at least I'm clever and durable enough to survive it," I replied. "How do you feel, beyond the broken ribs part?"

"Naked," she answered with a pointed luck. "I'm going to have to hope you didn't already have all the enjoyment we planned on the road, my Prince."

"I was a little bit too icy to be in much of a mood for it, so unfortunately you haven't been graced with my depravity yet," I returned with a familiar smirk.

"Good. From what I've seen it isn't something I'd be too pleased to miss out on," the sultry purr of her voice caught me by surprise, as did the clouded look in her eyes.

It was odd to notice how dry my scaly lips were. Could they actually have been any fun to kiss? I wondered. Maybe their dryness was why the layer of moisture coating Lydia's looked so inviting. I didn't realize I was leaning down until I was inches away from her. "You know, you are still injured," I said when her fingers slipped under the edge of my sleeve. How long had her hand been sliding up my arm?

"After that potion I can't much feel it," she said almost dreamily. It was good to know that the healing potions we had were strong. She'd probably be back to health in a few days.

The fingers of her other hand tickled at the waistband of my trousers when my hands settled down at her waist and on the bed. I was going to have to stop being bad at this. Despite how often it seemed to be happening lately, it was still rather surreal to be face-to-face with a lovely woman. A naked lovely woman, my mind helpfully supplied. "Suppose I could be gentle enough not to further your injuries," I muttered and finally closed the distance. It was time to stop teasing myself.

Our lips meshed together for a moment before our eagerness got the better of us. I was thankful for the length of my tongue and the thoroughness it afforded me in exploring her mouth. There was no part I couldn't probe and caress, though hers kept it busy enough I didn't have much opportunity. My fingers dragged up her side, brushing over the bandages wrapped around her ribs. "Does that hurt?" I murmured while I moved my lips to her throat.

"Not terribly, no. It kind of tickles," she said and actually giggled quietly. Apparently I had done right when I had stocked up on powerful healing potions. It was downright cute hearing my strong and capable housecarl giggle.

My hand finally rose to her breast and I cupped it lightly. When I dragged the pad of my thumb over her nipple a light gasp escaped her lips. "What about that?" I asked and nipped at her soft neck. "Does that tickle?"

She made some mumbling of denial and pressed herself against my hand. I dipped my head down and nudged the blanket covering her away from her chest with my chin and dragged my tongue across the nipple I was neglecting. When my sharp teeth dragged carefully across her tender flesh she let out a little squeal. "Please," she panted and stared down at me.

"So eager? I've barely even done anything," I chuckled low in my throat. "Could this be from the weeks of neglect I've shown you?"

"Something like that, I'm sure," Lydia replied as she tried to catch her breath.

"Then I shan't be hasty now. I'll have to make it worth the wait," I laughed aloud and climbed onto the bed so I wouldn't have to bend so far. I wrapped an arm behind her shoulders to keep her propped up without straining her ribs too badly and returned my hand to her breasts.

She surprised me somewhat by wrapping her hands around the back of my neck and drawing me in for another kiss. Our lips worked together slowly and deeply. I wondered why I had ever avoided being intimate with my housecarl. It would have been so much easier to have just done this back in Ivarstead. We may have only known each other for a couple weeks by that point but the mutual attraction had been apparent, in retrospect.

So much wasted time to make up for, I thought and squeezed and pinched at her breast a little more insistently. I was too much enjoying the simple feel of her skin to move on just yet. Her skin was shockingly soft, for a trained soldier. I could feel the muscle underneath but she still held onto her feminine curves quite admirably. Having the largest breasts I had yet held in my hand didn't hurt either. Had they always been so large? I could barely get one to fit properly in my hand.

Despite my wishes to simply touch her for a while, though, Lydia's body writhed enticingly and her mumblings and whimpers were getting more insistent. After one last firm squeeze my hand relented and slid down her stomach to the dark patch of admirably trimmed curls at her crotch. Where and when did she have the chance to take care of that? I wondered. When I was asleep?

The glistening moisture drew my attention sharply away from my pondering. I couldn't resist dragging my finger through her damp folds. It was easy to find the swollen bead at the apex - her clitoris, I reminded myself of the odd name. I drew a few lazy circles around it with the tip of my finger. The way her blunt nails dug into my neck told me that it was probably a good thing to do.

I continued to take my time with touching her, slowly sliding my fingertip into the depth of her folds, never quite dipping inside. I'd give her clitoris a few hard rubs before slipping away again. It was fun to watch her reactions. She looked far too cute glaring at me for cutting her pleasure just short of actually starting it, only to melt into a mess of moans and whines when I pressed against her again. My lips still teased at her but she was too torn between wanting to cry out and wanting to growl at me to reciprocate.

I eventually granted her mercy and pushed my middle finger deep inside in one short thrust. She let out a sharp cry that I hastily covered with my mouth. I wasn't too keen on giving any neighbours the idea of a free show.

Her slick passage all but demanded a second finger and it felt wonderful to work my them in and out of her. I felt a little guilty for being surprised at how tight she was. It wasn't as though I had ever seen her with someone. Perhaps the constant exercise involved with travelling and combat had kept all of her muscles strong.

The rest of her looked very relaxed and pliant, I thought before returning my lips to hers. Aside from the odd twist and grind against my hand, anyways. I hoped that she wouldn't exacerbate her injuries in the throes of her pleasure. That didn't slow my fingers down as they traced hard circles around her clitoris, though. My hand was slick with her moisture and I longed to see her unravel just a little farther.

Her kisses had become clumsy, dragging across my jaw and throat as she mumbled incoherently between her gasps and moans. I couldn't make out most of it, but I wasn't paying too much attention. The feminine hand that had slipped into my pants took too much of my notice. She had callouses, I noticed, but far less than my own hands. She felt downright gentle in spite of the strength and skill I knew she possessed.

She didn't last enough longer to pursue her burgeoning efforts. Her teeth sunk into my shoulder hard enough to elicit a sharp hiss of pain while her hot, wet walls convulsed around my fingers. A stream of squeals and curses spilled from her lips when she released her hold on my shoulder. I was somewhat thankful she had let go of my penis in lieu of digging her fingers into my leg.

Lydia shuddered and panted heavily as she came down from her high. "Worth the wait?" I smirked down at her.

"Almost," she purred through her heaving breath. Her fingers snaked their way around my member once again. "I haven't had much chance to enjoy you, though, my Prince."

"I'm gonna have to find some way of breaking you of that habit," I chuckled and tried not to give in too easily to the wondrous feeling of her hand sliding up and down my shaft.

She returned my smirk in full force. "Perhaps you should give my mouth something to do other than speak out of turn, for once," she said. The tongue sliding across her lips had to be intentional.

I was already sliding my pants off my hips without realizing it. "If all your plans are so well though out, maybe I should defer to you more often," I laughed and shifted to push the cloth from my legs. Lydia was hasty with removing my shirt and looked eager to respond with some clever retort.

The head of my penis pressing against her lips stole away too much of her snark, though. She seemed even more eager to comply with that desire than to actually throw whatever banter she had at me. I wasn't in a position to argue.

"Easy there," I groaned when she tried to lift herself up. "I wouldn't want you making this any worse on my account," I tried to lift my lips in a lighthearted smile, though it was hard with the feeling of her tongue flicking over the tip of my prick. My fingers brushed across the bandages around her ribs to illustrate my meaning. They quickly found their way to her breast of their own accord. "Still, I suppose you know best what you can handle."

As if to prove such a point Lydia pressed a hand to my thigh next to my tail to guide me further into her mouth. I hissed harshly at the sensation of her throat as it took the head of my member. Some fractured curses in hist fell from my lips before she began to ease me back out.

"That I do," she moaned against my cock as she licked and sucked at it.

Male pride demanded I hold off on my release as sexual eagerness desired nothing but a glorious end. I didn't know how much longer I could hold out for the sake of the former as I slid far past her lips again. My hands came up and slipped into her short, trimmed hair. I did my best not to just grip her head and force my cock as far back as it could go, but it was a vicious struggle. I slid back farther than I had before, until Lydia's nose was almost touching my stomach. I was impressed at how much of my length she could take without even the slightest gag.

I let out a long sigh of mixed relief and frustration as I slid from her throat again. I felt like I was on the cusp of release. Thankfully my housecarl took some measure of mercy on me and returned to enthusiastically bobbing her head up and down on my member. Her hand pumped furiously at the shaft while she suckled on the head like it was some sugary treat.

I swore and muttered out a warning in hist and only distantly realized my mistake. "I'm going...to..." I managed and dug my claws as lightly as I could into Lydia's hair. I tried again to finish my warning but gave up when dragon's speech left my lips and shook the room slightly. It was getting hard to keep my languages sorted.

Lydia moaned in an erotically filthy way as my seed erupted into her mouth. It shocked me how eager she was to taste and swallow every bit of my load she could. She even gave my cock a few final sucks to make sure I was through.

She looked kind of disappointed when I snatched the bottle of healing potion from the bedside table. There wasn't much left but it would have to do. "Hey, you're not the only one who got smacked around by a dragon today," I laughed and tilted the bottle to my lips.

Before she could protest or mention my Histskin my lips were sealed against hers in a hard, deep kiss. I pushed as much of the potion as I could into her mouth while I invaded it with my tongue. She wasn't caught off guard for long and took only a moment to return as well as I could give. We had a short, passionate battle with our lips and tongues until I pulled back and smirked down at her. "Once you're back in proper health we're going to have to do all that properly."

Lydia's sultry smile was an expression I could get used to. "Every so often you have an absolutely wonderful stroke of genius, my Prince."

* * *

><p>AN: My, oh, my, where does the time go? This chapter was going to be made longer but...fuck it. The next chapter will, if all goes well, pick up rather immediately, so I figure I'm better off posting something rather than making anyone actually still reading this wait longer.


	17. Chapter 17

Lydia's sharp gasp startled me and drew my attention while I was tightening down the straps of my armour. "Hey, take it easy," I said when I saw she had strained her ribs trying to get up. "Just stay in bed, alright? I know you may not be fond of the idea but you've gotta rest and let yourself heal."

"You are going out," she stated rather than asked.

"One of us has to earn our keep and I don't think it's gonna be the crippled one," I nodded. "Besides, I have to pick up more healing potions. That one you drank was the last we had."

"You finished it off," she pointed out.

"And I feel fit as a fiddle for it," I chuckled.

"...It doesn't seem right that you should be out there without me to keep you safe, my Thane," Lydia said after a moment of silence.

I waved off her concern while I took note that she seemed rather random about which title to refer to me as. "I'm the one who managed to get out of that dragon fight relatively uninjured," I snorted. Actually, I had probably broken a couple of ribs in the fight and my arm had felt like it had been brutalized, but a mouthful of alchemical curative did wonders for speeding up my Histskin. At least it had been easy to ignore my aches and pains when I had Lydia's naked body to distract me from them.

"Just make sure you hurry back. I wouldn't want to be left all alone in this cold room," I was shocked at the pout she directed my way.

"You're downright feminine when we're alone now," I laughed. "I'll be back once I've got something to help you get fixed up. Then I'll figure out a way to work off the cost of staying here."

"Don't we have enough money for the room?"

"Probably, but I don't like spending money when I don't have to," I said with a shrug and made my way to the door. "I'll try not to be gone for too long. If you go to sleep, make sure you're tucked in pretty tight. You move around a lot in your sleep," I called back on my way out.

"Perhaps you should do that for me, my Thane," she suggested in a voice that I presumed she intended to sound sexy.

"I guess we should make sure you don't push yourself too hard," I chuckled and turned around to return to the bed. It only took a moment to pack a blanket around her to make sure she couldn't jostle her ribs too hard in her sleep.

I was about to stand back up when her hands darted to my face to catch me. It took no insisting for me to bend down and press my lips to hers in a deep kiss. If this continued every time I had to leave I figured I could live with that. I slid my hand up her body from her hip to her chest against the blanket covering her. I could just feel the shape of her curves through the thick fabric. My fingers' journey ended at her cheek and I gave her an affectionate stroke. "Make sure you get some rest," I advised before finally taking my leave.

On my way out the door I grabbed a couple of books from my pack and set them down on the bedside table. It occurred that she might like _something _to do while I was gallivanting around town. "Hurry back, my Thane," I heard her call after me when I left.

The air outside the inn was chilly enough that I was thankful for my cloak. I noticed my breaths passing my lips as small puffs of vapour and wondered what month it had gotten to without my notice. It felt like Evening Star but it couldn't have been later than mid-Sun's Dusk. I looked around for something that may direct me to an apothecary and instead found my eyes on a young Dunmer woman being harassed by a couple of humans.

Despite my plans to ignore the likely commonplace issue and simply continue on my way I found my feet walking towards the group. I grumbled at my own hero complex getting me into another fight before reaching them. "What are you doing out of the Grey Quarter, elf?" the first man said. He was a tall Nord with dirty blonde hair.

"I'm allowed to go to the market like anyone else, Rolff," the girl shot back. By the look of her, I had to guess she wasn't quite out of her teens.

"Surely you're not trying to interfere with this fine lady's grocery shopping," I interjected as I arrived. "That just seems petty and ill-spirited."

"Who in Oblivion do you think you are?" the second man narrowed his eyes at me. He stood at about the same height as his companion, though he was a touch bulkier around his shoulders. He had the musculature of a dock worker, I noted.

"The only one around here with manners enough to offer this young woman an escort to the market, apparently," I replied with a sly smirk. I turned a disarming smile towards the Dunmer woman. "If she'd like me to, of course."

"I'd be delighted to have such a fine guardian," she said with a returned smile. She was rather pretty, I had to admit, though she looked a touch younger than me. I caught a glimpse of startlingly white teeth behind ruddy grey lips and realized I was staring.

"It's a sad day when a beast outdoes a man in etiquette," I chuckled and brushed past the Nord men.

The blonde one, Rolff, caught my shoulder in a rough grip on my way by. "What was that, leatherback?" he snarled and spun me around.

I resisted the urge to punch him. It wouldn't do for me to throw the first punch. I imagined the guards took a dim enough view of Argonians and Dunmer as it stood. I unclenched my fists a little and levelled a cool, challenging stare on the man. "I said you're a racist prick," I let a touch of my accent add a harsh click to the sentence. "Look, if you're going to pick a fight, it shouldn't be with someone who can kick your teeth in. Friendly advice."

"You honestly think you could beat me in a fight?"

"...Listen, sir..." the Dunmer girl seemed ill-at-ease with someone getting hurt over her. Or for beating a man over her, for that matter.

I didn't feel like I was going to lose any sleep over it. "A hundred septims thinks I can," I challenged with a smirk. I felt a rush of blood lust pound through my veins at the prospect of a fight.

"I'm supposed to believe an Argonian has a hundred septims?" Rolff sneered.

"It doesn't matter if I do. It isn't a fight I'm likely to lose," I shot right back. "Beating some self-righteous bigot with no manners to the ground isn't much of a fight to begin with, though."

I finally struck at the man's pride enough for him to take a swing at me. I took a step back and gently pushed the Dunmer woman out of the way. I ducked to the side of the next punch and threw a sharp jab back. I was actually a little surprised when the man avoided it and managed to finally catch me with a quick hook.

The attack didn't hurt or particularly faze me but it gave me enough push to move Rolff around to my side. My tail snapped like a whip from beneath my cloak and cracked into his open ribs. He let out a sharp gasp of pain and buckled slightly from the unexpected blow. I took advantage of his stumble and spun around with a long punch that caught him across the temple. I caught his hair while he fell to hold him in place long enough for my knee to connect with his cheek.

He hit the snow covered stone with a dull thud. "Bastard," he growled and pushed himself to his feet.

"Are you serious?" I narrowed my eyes at him. "If you come at me again, I'm going to break something."

His eyes narrowed back before he let his head fall in defeat. "You have bested me, Argonian. I am humbled."

"So long as you learned something," I lowered my hands to my sides.

He tossed me a coin purse. "Looks like the money was on to something," he said with something that looked between a smile and a grimace.

The two Nords left and I turned to the almost-forgotten Dunmer woman. "Sorry about all that," I said with an embarrassed chuckle. "I don't get along well with jackasses."

"You're an effective escort, I have to give you that much," she said with another smile. She offered her hand to me. "Taryn."

"Kai," I replied and took her hand in mine. I was struck by how much smaller the woman was than me. Perhaps I had simply been around Lydia for so long that a civilian girl just seemed small in comparison. From what I could see through the thick wool clothes Taryn was rather slender, though her firm handshake belied a subtle strength. I imagined the girl could be quite agile, had she the mind to be.

She gave my hand a tug and led me to the market. The way she danced through the crowds there confirmed my suspicions. While she busied herself with buying whatever provisions she was after I stepped into the nearby apothecary, a shop called the White Phial. Inside was a male human behind a counter covered in potions and ingredients on display. "Good day, sir," he greeted me with a polite smile that I returned.

It was a pleasantly simple matter of buying what I needed and leaving. It had been ages since a transaction had gone so simply. I found Taryn still busying herself with surveying some vegetables. I was about to join her when a soldier dressed in a vaguely familiar blue uniform approached me. "Are you the Argonian that fought the dragon yesterday?" he asked.

My lips pulled back in an annoyed frown. "I'm the one that killed it, yeah. What do you want?" I didn't bother wasting time with being polite. I knew what the man was there for.

"Ulfric Stormcl-"

"No," I cut him off. The man sputtered for a moment at my interjection. "I said no. He wants me to come visit him and I'm refusing. If he wanted to chat he should've sent one of his guards, not one of his soldiers."

"Who are you to deny the true High King of Skyrim, _Argonian_?" he sounded terribly offended.

"I am _Dovahkiin_," the air around us shook slightly with my Voice and I glanced around to make sure I hadn't bothered anyone with it. The soldier looked suitably cowed. "Is it really so angering to learn that whatever powers that be govern the world don't care about race?" I shot him a sharp glare.

He didn't reply. He just withered under my glare and left to carry my refusal back to his precious commander.

"That was quite the display," Taryn chimed as she came up beside me. Apparently I had missed her before. "Dovalking, huh? What's that?"

"...It's Dovahkiin," I corrected her.

"I know that," she said with an amused grin. "So, a legendary hero kindly fought for my honour."

"Some random Argonian who pokes his nose into other people's business got in a fight with a racist asshole," I corrected her again. I was worried considerably that the starstruck look in her eyes didn't diminish.

"Your humility suits you," she said with a happy laugh. "It's just...You're the one that killed the dragon that attacked yesterday."

"You overheard that, too?" I chuckled.

"No, I didn't hear you say that," Taryn laughed again and shook her head. "But I heard that some Argonian had done it. It didn't occur to me that it would be you. It would explain why you weren't very worried about fighting Rolff Stone-Fist."

"A fistfight with a human doesn't really compare, no," I said with a grin. I offered to escort her back to her home and she happily agreed. I thought that maybe I had made an error in continuing with the energetic girl as I followed her down the streets of Windhelm. We passed by the inn and I unconsciously laid my hand on the potions of healing strapped to my belt. She bounced jubilantly ahead, humming some foreboding tune. I recognized it as a song about the Dragonborn that had been sung throughout the inns and taverns of Skyrim.

My brain saw some potential with a starstruck young woman taking me back to her home. It flickered through my mind that I had never had sex with a female mer before. I pondered on whether or not my current luck with women in Skyrim would hold out.

I snapped my head around just as the inn escaped my field of vision. Would Lydia be pissed off if I had sex with someone else while she was in the same town? Crippled in bed, with the potions for her healing strapped to my waist, no less. I let out an almost dejected sigh at what could have been and saw that Taryn had stopped up ahead.

"Hurry up! You aren't doing much of a job of escorting me way back there!" she shouted at me.

"I'm keeping a wide range of view," I shouted back.

"What are you going to do back there? Yell at my would-be attackers to stop?"

I laughed at that. "You'd be shocked at how well that works," I said with a wide grin. "So this is your home?" I asked and gestured towards the house. It looked old, but well taken care of.

"Yes. Thank you for being my escort for the day," she said with a polite bow.

I returned the bow with a flourish. "Anything for an excuse to spend some time with a pretty lady," I replied. "Now then, I shall return to my business of slaying dragons and beating up men in the streets for money." I gave a short wave over my shoulder and walked off.

"See you later, Dovahkiin!" her call was followed by the sound of a door shutting.

I let out a long-suffering sigh. "Did she have to tell everybody?" I grumbled and tried to ignore the eyes trailing after me. It was hard keeping a low profile as a living legend.

I returned to the inn to find Lydia asleep. She was still tucked in, though she had rolled to lay partly on her side. I leaned over her slumbering form and gently straightened her out. My hand lingered on her shoulder for a moment and I briefly debated kissing her. Not wanting to disturb her, I decided against it and put one of the healing potions on the bedside table. I noted that one of the books had moved and acquired a mark between its pages. The others went in our packs and I left as quietly as I had arrived. She would be better off resting and when she awoke she would have her curative readily available.

When I arrived at the front desk I found the woman from the night before there and wondered how much she worked the place. I figured she was the owner, if all her time was spent there. "Come to pay your rent?" she asked as I approached.

I scratched the back of my head. "Yeah, about that...I don't really have that much money," I lied. "There isn't that much to be made just kinda travelling from place to place, killing dragons."

"Is that all you do?" she asked incredulously.

"That and just kind of do odd jobs," I continued flippantly. She actually looked like she believed I was broke. "So, think there's any way I can just work to earn my keep here?"

She looked me up and down and nodded. "You look fit enough to swing an axe, and there's always firewood to chop. Go speak with Nils," she said and directed me back down the hall to the end.

I found the kitchen there and poked my head inside. "Hello?" I called out and immediately felt somewhat foolish for doing so. The man inside looked surprised to see me and cleared his throat in a way that sounded like he was uncomfortable seeing me.

"Something I can help you with?" he asked as his expressive changed to a more curious one. I figured he just didn't like the idea of some random Argonian sticking his head into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm a little short on funds so Elda said to talk to you about helping with some chores to earn my keep," I explained.

He seemed sceptical but nonetheless gave me a curt nod. "If you're so eager for work, there's wood and an axe out back," he said with a gesture to the door at the back of the kitchen.

I thanked him for the help and went as directed. I hefted the axe in my hands and slipped my cloak off my shoulders before setting to work. The sound of wood splitting under my swings brought back memories of my time in Riverwood. A slight smile tugged at my mouth as I thought of the days spent chopping wood and making equipment in the quiet village. I almost felt disappointed that this time there would be no Camilla to bring me water and try to nonchalantly stare at my unclothed physique. Not that I was likely to remove my tunic this time, I thought as a sharp breeze brought out a shiver.

I had to chuckle and shake my head at myself. There was a gorgeous young woman that I knew found me attractive enough to consider laying with me not a hundred feet away in the room inside and I was disappointed there wouldn't be another available. I was truly being spoiled by my time in Skyrim.

I returned to reality when I reached for another piece of wood to chop and found myself grasping air. I blinked a couple times at the pile of cleft lumber and pondered how long I had been working. I had completely lost track of time. The thick clouds overhead and the constant flakes of snow drifting down made it hard to tell. Judging by the layer of white fluff covering my discarded cloak, though, I had to guess that I had been outside for a fair while. I was thankful that my work had kept my body warm.

After organizing the firewood outside next to the door I gathered up a bundle and made my way inside. "Done," I announced as I entered.

Nils looked up from the food he was cooking and shot me a look I could only describe as incredulous. "What do you mean, done? Surely you haven't chopped all that wood already."

"Unless there's another bunch hidden somewhere," I answered with a shrug.

He gave a quick shout into the hallway for someone to come grab the food and walked to the back door. He only stuck his head out but that seemed to be enough. "Talos's Voice, you actually chopped it all," Nils said with an impressed tone. "I'd say that should be more than enough, at least for today. You certainly saved me a fair bit of work."

A girl I didn't recognize came back a moment later to grab a pair of bowls of what looked to be stew. I was reminded that the food I had asked for the night before had never arrived, though to be fair I wasn't in much of a mind to notice at the time. We exchanged polite nods of greeting before my attention returned to the man. "What can I do to get some food for me and mine?" I asked him.

"Talk to Elda about more work. I'll get started on getting you some food ready," he replied, though he quite pointedly avoided eye contact with me. "Try not to forget about it this time."

My hand went to the back of my neck in a familiar gesture of embarrassment. "Yeah, sorry about last night. I guess I just...got a little preoccupied." I left the kitchen towards the front desk and let out a short sigh. "Great...so he probably saw us last night. Well, at least he wasn't weird about it."

"Hello there. Did you see Nils?" Elda asked when I arrived.

"Yeah, I chopped all his wood and he seemed pretty pleased about it. Anything I can do to earn some food?"

"We just had someone check out, so if you could clean up their room I'd consider your room and board paid up in full."

I gave the woman a shrug and something akin to a nod. "Whatever. Just as long as I can stay here and eat I'm happy."

* * *

><p>When I returned to the room about an hour later I found Lydia awake with a half-empty bottle of the curative I had left in the room and the marked book in her lap. I nudged a chair over to the bed with my foot and set her food down next to the potion. "Seems like all this place makes for food is stew," I laughed and sat down beside her.<p>

"I don't care what it is, so long as it's food," Lydia smiled at me and reached for the bowl. She quickly flinched back and pressed a hand to her side. I immediately felt bad for having both the potion and the books in a similar position.

"Easy there. You know, you do have four or five broken ribs. That isn't gonna get fixed up in one night," I chided her gently.

She frowned at me and I withheld the urge to laugh. "It hardly seems fair that you're fully healed and I'm crippled in bed."

"Actually, I'm still pretty damn sore," I admitted and set my food down in lieu of picking up hers. "Spending most of the day chopping wood and getting into fights hasn't done me any good, either."

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you couldn't go a single day without picking a fight with someone," Lydia let out an exasperated sigh. She turned a wary gaze to the bowl of stew held before her. "Are you actually planning on feeding me, my Thane?"

"Well, since you can't do it yourself I figure I kinda have to," I grinned at the woman. "Come on, it isn't like you have any reason to be embarrassed. I woulda thought you might relax around me after last night."

Perhaps it was her pride that made the idea so unappealing. I wanted to shake my head at how useless pride was. I figured I ought to know, considering how often my own got me into trouble. She stared somewhat defiantly at me for a moment before she let out a defeated sigh. "Very well, my Thane."

I gave her what I hoped was a warm smile and set about feeding her the hot meal. "How do you decide whether to call me Thane or Prince?" I asked as she chewed.

"I just pick whichever feels right at the time," she answered simply.

"Saves the trouble of flipping a septim every time, I suppose," I said with a short chuckle.

Another length of silence stretched between us as I fed my housecarl. It took a minute, but by about the third spoonful of food she had a light blush dusting her cheeks. I chuckled again at her embarrassment. It seemed an odd thing to be embarrassed about, being fed. I certainly wouldn't have found much wrong with the prospect of our positions being reversed, other than the broken ribs part. I figured it had something to do with my Argonian pragmatism.

I set her empty bowl down once she was done eating and returned to mine. It had gone a little cold but I didn't much care. It still tasted fine. "...Thank you," Lydia said a little hesitantly.

"We've gotta take care of each other," I said around a mouthful of stew with a careless shrug. When I noticed her looking at it I passed Lydia the remainder of the healing potion. She drained the rest of her curative while I finished my food. "I don't know about you, but I'm pretty damn tired," I announced and stood from my seat.

Lydia nodded her assent. "I've slept most of the day, but my body wouldn't argue with a little more. We do no often get a chance to just rest."

"That we don't," I returned her nod with a smile and replaced the book on the table. I stripped myself of my tunic and debated removing my trousers. I could tell that the previous night's activities had left her a little worse for wear, judging by the obvious pain at reaching for her food. I settled on changing into my cloth pants. Her almost disappointed frown didn't escape my attention.

My lips curved into another friendly smile. "You'll live another night without," I laughed quietly. "Trust me, we'll both feel better for it tomorrow."

"I'm not so worried about tomorrow, my Thane," she huffed lightly.

"Well one of us should be," I said as I slipped into the bed. It took a moment to get shifted around to accommodate each other but when we settled I found my housecarl tucked into my side with my arm around her shoulders. I was a little surprised by the leg she had wrapped around my tail, though I wasn't going to argue with the appendage being shown some attention. Even if I didn't have any real romantic inclination towards her beyond the mutual attraction, it was nice to have a warm body pressed to mine.

Her hand on my jaw drew me in for a slow, sensual kiss. Our lips and tongues worked together lazily, enjoying the simple feel of flesh against flesh. I very nearly abandoned the idea of leaving Lydia's body alone for the night. I reluctantly pulled away and lay my head back against the pillow, careful not to pierce the fabric with my horns and spines. "Good night," my housecarl surprised me when she piped up without using any of my titles. I answered in kind and let myself drift off to sleep.

* * *

><p>The next day's wanderings led me to the docks outside the town. I had seen them when I jumped off the bridge to save Lydia but hadn't the presence of mind at the time to really take a look. The generally frigid air of the town made me somewhat surprised at the half-dozen Argonians working the docks.<p>

I jogged forward and helped catch a crate as it slipped from one's grasp. He looked surprised to see me, as though it were odd to encounter another Argonian that he didn't know. I helped him carry the heavy box to the ship it was bound to leave on. "Thanks for the hand," he said as we set the crate down. "You new here?"

"Just passing through," I answered with a shrug. "I have to admit, I didn't expect to see so many Argonians around. I didn't see any the past couple days here."

"That's because we're not allowed inside the city," he said offhandedly. It was simply accepted as the way the city worked. He extended a calloused hand. "The name's Neetrenaza."

"Kailev-Tel," I returned and took his hand. I immediately regretted my decision to tell him my full name when I saw the way his eyes lit up in recognition.

"An odd name," was all he said in response. I felt like pointing out that his name meant "Root-Bound Crag" but decided against it. "Not to seem rude, but if you aren't here to work you should probably go back into the town."

"In case one of the guards thinks I work here and interferes with my business, I assume. I'm not too worried about that; Ulfric's wants me treated well in the hopes that it'll curry my favour with him," I waved off his concern and returned to helping him load the ship.

Neetrenaza's eyes widened slightly as we hefted the next crate. "You're the one I saw jumping off the bridge the other day," he sounded rather startled.

"I was, although that still probably wasn't the most reckless thing I've yet done in my life," I laughed.

"So then you killed that dragon."

"I had some help," I shrugged, a tricky proposition with the crate between us. "My compatriot is at Candlehearth Hall nursing some injuries actually, so I'm kind of bored at the moment."

"You seem startlingly uninjured, considering," Neetrenaza noted as we dropped off another box of goods.

"I'm durable," I grinned at him.

Before we could continue our conversation a man on the ship approached me with a curious glance. "I've been coming to his harbour for years and I don't recognize you," he said. "The name's Kjar, and this is the North Wind. A pleasure."

I was surprised by his manners and desire to meet with me. "Kai," I replied and shook his weathered hand. "Though to be fair, I don't actually work here. I just saw work that needed doing and decided to lend a hand."

"You don't look like a dockworker," he agreed. Neetrenaza took his leave of us to return to his job while Kjar and I talked.

"I'm something of a mercenary, actually," I explained. "You wouldn't happen to have anything that needs doing, would you?"

"Actually, I would," he sounded pleasantly surprised. "There's a gang of bandits being run by a former crew member of mine that's been causing trouble around the Uttering Hills. If you take care of them, I'd be happy to pay you."

"Sounds like a deal. Whereabouts would I be able to find these dastardly rogues?" I asked as I dug my map from its place in one of my pockets.

He marked it on my map and I was thankful that it looked to only be about half an hour's hike to the west. I made my way back to the inn to deliver the news that I'd be gone for the day to my housecarl. When I arrived I found her awake, one of the books I had left within arm's reach open before her face.

"I've got a job," I announced as I entered.

"What kind of a job?" she asked, looking up from the book.

"The usual," I shrugged.

My flippant response was rewarded with a stern frown. "I don't like the idea of you going after a group of bandits on your own, my Thane," she said. I was actually somewhat touched by the concern in her tone.

Nonetheless, I waved worry away as I had Neetrenaza's. "I'll be fine. I wouldn't be much of a Dragonborn if I couldn't handle a few armed thieves."

* * *

><p>Snow crunched under my boots as I made my way along the path west of the town. It had thankfully stopped falling from the sky, though I was still grateful for the cloak around my shoulders. In spite of my map I had stopped in at a lumber mill on the way to make sure my directions to the Uttering Hills were accurate.<p>

There were a pair of men at the entrance to a cave, sitting next to a small campfire. I wondered how many bandit dens there could actually be in this country. It seemed like there was no end to them. Perhaps an overabundance of hostile flora and fauna would help the way it did in Black Marsh, I thought. Or perhaps I shouldn't complain about a neverending supply of paying work.

I came back to reality when one of the men yelled something at me. "Hm? Sorry, I was lost in thought. What was that?" I asked as I approached. A hand drifted down to touch the hilt of my sword under my cloak.

"I said you look lost, lizard," the bandit sneered at me.

"Why does everyone always say that? You'd think people would be more trusting that when some random Argonian pops up somewhere, he has a very good reason to be there," I remarked with a grin. "Reasons that usually pertain to killing people for bounties."

My blade flicked from its scabbard as they reached for their weapons. I liberated the head of one from his shoulders in a clean slice as the other made it to his feet. A pivot on my heel avoided the bandit's clumsy attack and let me spin around his back to drive my sword through his body. I ignored the dull thud of his corpse hitting the snowy ground and made my way into the cavern.

The ice and snow continued inside, crusting the walls and making the place look aglow with pale blue light. I smirked at the reflections of myself in the walls. I supposed my arrogance and pride weren't completely misplaced, considering the things I routinely survived. Killing whole packs of marauders and slaying dragons on a regular basis certainly helped my self-confidence.

I tried to flick the bandits' blood from my blade only to find it frozen solid. I frowned at the fact that I'd have to remove my cloak to free my movement. Being warm was less important than being agile enough to avoid a blade or arrow. My muscles would warm themselves up with the fighting, anyway.

Another pair were at a second checkpoint further in. They were too engaged in conversation that I didn't care about to notice me as I crept up on them. My dagger slid soundlessly from its sheath. There was a brief glint of steel as I slashed it across one of the humans' throats. Blood spurted from the wound when he gasped and coughed on it flooding into his lungs. The second one – a female, I noted briefly – barely got out a choked scream before the blade plunged into the side of her neck. I made sure to give the dagger a sharp twist before tearing it from her flesh. I had to be certain.

I wiped the blood off the dagger on her shirt before replacing it in its case. It occurred to me that I had retrieved that dagger in Helgen and it had served me well ever since. It had certainly stayed more loyal to me than the half-dozen swords I had lost since arriving in Skyrim. I wondered how long it would be before it broke.

A startled shout drew my attention to a man standing at one of the passages leading deeper into the cavern. "Oh, shit!" I cursed as he turned and hauled ass to get back the way he had come. He ran screaming about an intruder and I tore after him. He led me to something of a small fort carved into the ice and rock. Who in the world had actually made this place? I pondered.

My target ran down a winding flight of stairs and I took a more direct approach. I vaulted over the railing on the platform leading to the stairs and dropped on top of him when he reached the bottom. I felt something crunch under my weight and the strangled way his shout cut off was nearly comical.

I hopped to my feet, drew my sword and quickly swung it at him. He ducked out of the way just enough to only get half his head hacked away. I spun around to face the oncoming trio of enemies. Two males and a female, one wielding a sword and shield, the second a massive warhammer and the last had an arrow trained on me. I dove out of the way and heard the metal head sink into the wooden steps behind me. I had to roll again to avoid the crushing head of the larger man's warhammer and I instantly wished Lydia was here to distract somebody.

After scrambling to my feet I swung wide with my sword at the other man, forcing him to raise his shield and block the attack. "Get down!" I heard the archer shout. By keeping myself moving to keep the two men between myself and her it at least allowed me some cover.

The shield swung at me and I skipped back just enough to grab it with my free hand and throw out to the side. It opened the man's guard enough for me to hack through his arm at the elbow, depriving him of the shield's defence. The howling scream of pain from having his arm removed was cut short by my sword carving through the flimsy armour around his chest. Blood and bits of bone stuck to the open gash in the leather.

I slipped under the overhead swing of the oncoming brute's warhammer in the next instant. I spun around and plunged my sword as deeply as I could into his lower back. The whistle of an arrow made me duck and turn just enough to send a shot of flame at the archer. She raised her bow in time to block it, though that destroyed her weapon.

My attention was pulled to the shifting of my sword when the man impaled on it pulled away and turned around with his hammer held high in the air. The clumsy weapon had no chance to drop before the tip of my blade was buried in the bottom of his jaw. His eyes rolled back in his head just before blood poured from them.

"Wuld!" my Voice did its fine job of carrying me to land just before the cowering woman. I distantly heard the other man's body and heavy weapon crash to the ground as I arrived before her.

"Please," she pleaded in a broken tone even as she shakily drew a dagger from her hip. It slipped from her grasp when I raised my sword. "Have mer..." I cut her down before she could finish. I didn't have any interest in hearing some bandit beg for her life.

The fact that no one had come out to see what all the ruckus was about made me confident there was no one else left inside. Even still, I kept my sword at the ready as I explored the rest of the place. I was happy for my decision when I found a woman asleep in a bunk in a side room. I didn't much bother to stay quiet as I walked over to the bed. She was waking up just as I reached her and I couldn't help but frown. She wasn't particularly attractive.

"You know what's absolutely awful?" my question and presence must have been confusing to a sleepy mind. She stumbled back out of the bed and her legs got tangled in her blanket. "I actually would've let you live if you were pretty."

With that I stepped over the bed and stood a foot on her trapped ankle to keep her from fleeing. She let out a brief shriek the instant before my sword plunged into her chest. I let out a sigh at myself. "I'm a horrible person," I muttered and shook my head. "Well, that's everyone. I guess I should clear this place out of anything valuable and head back.

* * *

><p>Perhaps it was the adrenaline still lingering in my veins, but I was feeling confrontational when I returned to the city. I found myself drawn to the large iron doors of the Jarl's keep and didn't even hesitate in pushing my way inside.<p>

"You've got a lot of guts, showing your face in here," Galmar growled at me as I approached the dais.

"I seem to recall receiving an invitation to an audience with the Jarl yesterday," I countered and with a flippant shrug.

"An invitation that you refused, leatherback."

"Well I've decided to recant my decision," I said as I smirked and folded my arms across my chest. I leaned just enough to the side to see the man behind him. "Ulfric, what did you want to talk about?"

Galmar's fists clenched at my disregard and he would have likely stepped forward or attacked me were it not for Ulfric's hand on his shoulder. "That's enough, brother. I'm glad the Dragonborn has decided to come," he interjected. "I wished to speak with you about the future of Skyrim."

"You know, you can just say that you want me in your army. You don't need to dress it up," I scoffed. "So what's in it for me if I do?" Ulfric's jaw clenched much as Galmar's fists had. It had been easier than I thought it would be to anger them. Clearly they weren't too happy about asking me for help.

"You will be fighting to secure Skyrim's future and independence. The Empire stands no chance against the Aldmeri Dominion..."

"And you do?" I cut him off. "Like it or not, you're one country. The Empire's doing a shit job of keeping their rule too secure, I'll give you that, but Skyrim alone won't stand against the Dominion."

"Skyrim has always stood strong, regardless of the foe. We will not fall to those elves. But we must stand as a united country. If we stand together, we will win."

"But only so long as the Nords are the ones standing at the top, right? I've seen the way Dunmer and Argonians are treated in your own city and so far all I've heard is a bunch of nationalist propaganda. You don't give a damn about standing as a united country, you just care about ruling," as much as I wanted to growl and hiss I kept my tone level.

"How dare you!" Galmar shouted as he stepped forward.

"You watched me kill a dragon and you honestly want to fight me?" I glared up at the man. My deadpan tone did its job of stopping him in his tracks. I turned my attention back to Ulfric. "When you learn how to actually rule properly, I'll think about helping you with that. Until then, the Dragonborn wants no part in your petty squabbles."

I didn't give him a chance to respond before I left. I was shocked when I made it all the way to the door without being attacked from behind. Good thing, too, considering I was eager to get back to my room. It took only a minute to return to the inn and I barely acknowledged Elda as I passed by.

I halted dead as I opened the door to the room. My mouth dropped open and I struggled to find my voice for a moment. Lydia was lying on her back, her legs wide open and two of her fingers buried in her dripping sex. "My Thane?" she asked dazedly as her hand slowed its blurred pace.

"I take it you're feeling better," I smirked and leaned back just enough to make sure no one in the hall was paying attention before I slammed it shut behind me and threw the lock. I stripped off my armour with a hastiness that could only be born from pure carnal desire. Lydia still looked somewhat surprised as I kicked my plated trousers off and climbed over her, but she didn't hesitate in returning my hungry kisses.

My hands dragged along her back and sides with just enough firmness that I'd notice if there was any pain the actions. Lydia truly was feeling better, I decided, considering her pleased moan at the feel of my palms on her skin. I picked at the edge of her bandages, but decided not to push it. There was no sense in removing them when her breasts were uncovered.

I slid my mouth down her neck at the same time as my fingers continued their trail lower down her body. I relished the feel of her smooth skin under my palms, one splayed across the small of her back and the other stroking the inside of her pale thighs. My fingers dug into her firm leg, drawing another quiet moan from her throat. It increased sharply in volume when my teeth clamped around her nipple.

She huffed and panted in broken words that had just enough of an imploring tone to convince me to give in to her pleasure. A pair of my fingers plunged into her wet heat, pushing in until they were surrounded in her writhing flesh. "Uh...my Thane," she groaned into the top of my head. I turned my mouth's attention to her other nipple, giving it the same level of attention as its twin.

"You're tits are great," I growled against them. Something between a breathy laugh and a keening moan reached my ears.

"So glad to have your approval," she panted. My excitement got the better of my and I quickly darted down her body. I lifted her shapely ass in my hands and pushed my face into the cleft of her legs.

The loudest shriek yet flew from her mouth when my tongue slid into her pussy. I wanted to tell her to be quiet but decided my mouth was better staying occupied with its current task. Not so willing to relinquish my attention on her breasts, though, I held her steady with one arm under her and brought my other hand to her chest. My fingers squeezed and pinched at her breast and nipple while my tongue slid against her clitoris at the same time as it pushed into her delectable sex. My exceedingly long tongue was definitely a bonus of being an Argonian.

Our gazes locked across her body. She had a glossy sheen of sweat shining in the low candlelight of the room on her heaving chest. I thought that her mouth looked sadly unused until a free hand of hers lifted her nipple to be clamped between her lips. I groaned unconsciously at the sight against her lower lips. Her moans grew louder and sharper and she hand she didn't have tending to her breast gripped the back of my head, holding me tighter against the moistness of her pussy.

I could only assume that the hard clenching of her muscles around my tongue and the loud moans and broken screams were indicative of her orgasm. Her eyes rolled back and she pressed a hand over her mouth in a rather vain attempt at keeping some level of quiet. When her legs eased their grip around my head I lowered her back down to the bed.

Her hand flew to her crotch to hold herself open while my hand guided my tip to her entrance. I pushed inside in one long thrust and joined her moan with a low hiss. I wondered if perhaps her constant exercise with travelling and fighting kept her so tight. There was no real pause, just a shifting of our bodies to get properly aligned before I was pounding into her with weeks worth of sexual tension. How many times had I seen her naked and hadn't acted on it?

I felt her ankles hook behind my back, just over my tail. Her hold kept me from moving too far, but also made sure that I was always buried inside her. My fingers dug into her waist in an almost bruising grip. The glistening pearl of her clitoris begged for my attention and I happily supplied it with an errant thumb. It took a moment but I found a pace to match with both her hips and my fingers.

She pushed herself up and tugged me down to seal our lips together. Our tongues danced between them while I fucked her into the bed. Her pants and gasps grew more ragged and intermingled with squeals and shrieks of pleasure as I felt the head of my cock press against somewhere deep inside her with every thrust.

Time passed in a blur. At some point I rolled over so that her legs were straddling my waist and she was pumping herself on my member. Her breasts bounced teasingly before my face and I didn't leave them alone for long. Lydia's arms wrapped around the back of my neck and held me tightly to her gorgeous tits. I felt her nails scrape gently at the back of my neck in a pleasurable spot I hadn't known about before. I muttered something in an attempt to get her to do it again. Somehow through the haze of our sex my desire reached her and she dug into the spot just below where my horns gave way to open scale again.

"Please...almost..." she groaned wantonly when I felt myself nudge her cervix. I was inclined to agree. The pressure in my testicles had been building to a painful point, but I refused to let myself reach my climax before her.

In spite of my valiant effort, though, it wasn't long before I felt my cock pulsing, sending my seed to be pasted to the inside of her pussy. Thankfully her walls were clenching again a moment later and she likely would have let out a piercing scream were it not for my lips covering hers.

We rocked against each other for a minute, a small spasm passing through one of us every so often as we came down from our peaks together. Our lips pressed together sloppily and lazily but neither of us seemed inclined to care. I pulled from her and laid us down on the sheets of the bed.

"Why didn't we do this sooner?" I muttered between heaving breaths, a slight smirk tugging at my lips.

"Because you were too afraid of talking to a woman?" she offered.

My male pride pushed me up so I was leaning over her. "Hey, fear had nothing to do with it. Concern that maybe my very combat-capable housecarl might take offence to me making an undesired advance did."

She hummed in response and settled in to sleep tucked into my side as she had the night before. "Whatever you say, my Thane," she laughed quietly.

"Damn straight," I mumbled and stared down at her. I only resisting the urge to kiss her for a few seconds before my tongue found its way pushing past her lips once again. She returned my slow and deep kiss quite willingly. I broke away after a few moments and gave her a final peck on the cheek. "Good night, Lydia."

"Good night, Kai," she hummed again.

"About time you called me something reasonable," I yawned and flicked the blankets over us with my tail.

* * *

><p>AN: Was it worth it? Insofar as I'm aware, this is the first sex scene posted here involving Lydia and a male Argonian, so I'm actually not too unhappy with it. As much as there are a million other Lydia scenes, I can claim at least a bit of originality.

5/4/13 edit: Why don't people tell me about the grievous errors!? There are times it looks like it's written by a damn five-year-old.


	18. Chapter 18

Spending most of our time on the road meant that my housecarl and I didn't often get the chance to sleep simultaneously. When we were actually given the opportunity I almost always woke up first. Lydia had proven herself to typically be a relatively deep sleeper, at least compared to me. On the rare occasions she did wake up first she tended to busy herself with preparing something for breakfast and packing away any extra supplies.

The warmth around my crotch and the weight pressing against my thighs were the first things to tell me that she had decided on a far better way to occupy her time while waiting for me to wake up. Something between a yawn and a hiss of pleasure slipped from my lips and my eyes cracked open to peer down at the woman languidly sucking my cock. Her tongue slid slowly up the length of it and flicked against the tip when she caught sight of my open eyes.

"Finally awake, my Thane?" she chuckled quietly.

"If I say no will you go back to doing that?" I asked in a rather serious tone.

She laughed again and ducked her head back down to take me in her mouth once more. I propped myself up on my elbows to better observe her. The contrast of her bright red lips and tongue against the dark grey of my scales was astounding. The fist pumping my shaft had spread her saliva to the point where my entire member was slick with it. Her eyes stared back up after me, though after several blinks she lifted her mouth off me again. "I never noticed that you have a second set of eyelids," she remarked rather randomly.

I groaned at the feel of her tightening her hand. It seemed unfair to make random comments and then distract me by working at my manhood. "They're pretty handy," I replied when I regained my composure. "Let me see underwater..." I paused for another hiss when her lips wrapped back around the head of my cock. "...Or freak out humans who like to stare."

Her muffled laugh vibrated around me pleasantly. I let out another groan when she pushed herself down until I was pressing into her throat. My tail jumped of its own accord and dragged through her damp folds.

Lydia jumped slightly and let out a muffled moan around my cock and I couldn't help but smirk a little. She looked up at me somewhat expectantly and I raised my eyebrows in response before lifting my extra appendage to press between her thighs. My housecarl took to sliding her tongue up and down my shaft as I took a moment to work out how to use my tail in such a way. When I felt a particularly hard nub I decided to press against it and was rewarded with a sharp moan. Lydia pulled me into her mouth once more, sliding my thick member over her tongue and into her throat until her nose was wedged against my stomach.

My tail flicked across her clitoris and she drew me from her mouth to pant and gasp in pleasure. She surprised me by abandoning my twitching erection and pushing herself up to straddle my waist on her knees. I hastily decided that the new position was a much more desirable one. Her hand was guiding the head of my penis towards her entrance just as I lifted my hips to penetrate her. It seemed she had come to the same decision that I had.

She dropped her hips and I slid into her, the tight walls gripping me in a very pleasant embrace. Her arms looped around my neck and she shifted in my lap, apparently just as comfortable as I to simply enjoy the feeling of being joined together. Her nails scratched lightly at the base of my skull, just below the spines on my head. I let out a sharp hiss at the pleasurable feeling and bucked against her. It was all the incentive she needed to start pumping herself on my cock.

When we figured out a rhythm I caught one of her hardened nipples in my hand and guided it to my mouth. I nipped lightly at her soft flesh before dragging my tongue across the flushing skin. Lydia let out a high pitched moan when I gave her nipple a slightly harder bite. It glowed an angry red, but I could feel her flesh quiver around me when I sucked and licked at the abused skin. She muttered something brokenly in my ear that I simply assumed to be her announcing her orgasm.

Her lips crushed against mine in a shockingly hard kiss as her muscles convulsed around me. The sudden tightening of her walls drew my own climax out with surprising quickness. My seed splashed against the inside of her womb and I wondered for the first time if there had ever been any reliable accounts of interspecies children. I had certainly never heard of any legitimate cases, but rumours had always persisted.

Lydia lifted herself from my lap and I snapped out of my thoughts. I could feel our mixed fluids splash against my leg and drip on the bed once I was free from her delicious hold. "I'm willing to sacrifice a few minutes' travel for this," I smirked up at her and wiped myself off on the blankets. I had mixed feelings about it not being my own bed.

My housecarl replied with a pleased hum and crawled up the bed to lay on her back beside me. "I'm inclined to agree, my Thane," she remarked with a contented smile. "Are we leaving Windhelm today?"

I nodded and pushed myself off the bed. "Yeah. I haven't exactly been ingratiating myself to the locals so I figure it's as good a time as any to get back to Whiterun and make sure my sister hasn't been causing trouble."

"You're worried about her?" Lydia asked in a teasing tone.

I chuckled wryly and shook my head as I fastened my pants. "I'm worried she's gone around town telling everyone who I am. I wouldn't put it past her."

"You think people would believe her?" I heard Lydia working at getting into her armour after the days without wearing it. It occurred to me that I had never gotten around to acquiring her another breastplate.

"Maybe. I'd rather not take the chance. I've worked very hard to avoid people learning who I am back home. The last thing I need is some crazy asshole with delusions of grandeur trying to kidnap me for ransom," I scoffed at the idea and slipped on my boots.

"Wouldn't she be the one more likely to be kidnapped?" my housecarl asked, sounding altogether too intrigued by the notion. She set about preparing our packs for travel.

"Probably. And then I'd have to go save her," I answered over my shoulder with a frown.

"You make it sound like such an inconvenience," Lydia said with a quiet laugh.

"It would be inconvenient. She'd want me to show up and sweep her off her feet like some knight rescuing his princess," my frown deepened while I pulled on my tunic.

Lydia laughed again at that. "It would be romantic if she weren't your sister."

I considered telling her that my sister would still consider it horrendously romantic but decided against it. "It would," I agreed instead and then suggested we head out and find her a suitable replacement for her armour before we start the journey back to Whiterun.

In a few minutes we were dressed and packed and outside Candlehearth Hall. I glanced towards the spot I had fought Rolff and wondered how Taryn was doing. Perhaps we would see each other in the market, I thought. We headed in that direction, Lydia keeping step close beside me. She had refused my cloak to keep her covered in lieu of her armour yet she looked shockingly unaffected by the cold weather.

"How much money do we have?" I asked somewhat suddenly as it occurred to me.

"Almost two thousand septims, my Thane," she answered after some quick mental math. "As well as a number of valuable amulets and rings from the bandit camps we've cleared."

I nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Good. That means we should be able to get you some decent armour."

"The journey back to Whiterun shouldn't be far. Perhaps we should save our money and we can both get something better. Your leathers aren't likely to last much longer," Lydia suggested.

My attention shifted to said armour for a moment. It was true that after everything we had been through since Riften it was getting to be a little worse for wear. I still had all the pieces but most were torn and gouged and many of the rivets adorning it had been lost. "That plan still leaves you without a very critical piece armour while we travel. I can take more abuse than you can, anyway. I'll be fine," I assured her. I didn't like the idea of my companion being so unprotected.

It wasn't hard to find the blacksmith in the market, though my lips pulled into a frown when I saw the man he was dealing with and recognized it to be the Stormcloak soldier I had sent scurrying back to Ulfric. The soldier glanced up as I approached and though I didn't hear the words exchanged I judged they were about me by the nod of his head in my direction. He gathered up his gear and left before being forced to actually make contact with me.

"So, you're the Dragonborn the town's been abuzz about," the blacksmith said as he wiped his hands off on his apron. Rather than extend one to greet me, though, his arms folded across his chest. He stood up to his full height, though that was just to look me in the eye. I considered it handy that I was fairly tall for an Argonian. The spikes sticking from my skull didn't hurt, either. They certainly stood as markedly different than his bald head.

I grinned at the man as I approached, the complete opposite to his stern and downright irritated composure. I found it endlessly amusing that he was so worked up over my race. "It would seem word travels faster than I do," I chuckled. "Kailev-Tel, in case you were curious."

"...Oengul War-Anvil," the man seemed to feel obligated to return the introduction.

"A pleasure, I'm sure," I flashed him a smirk and motioned to Lydia. "My compatriot lost her armour fighting a dragon. Would we be able to get her some sort of replacement?"

He glanced at Lydia. "What sort of armour were you looking for?"

At least he's being somewhat amenable, I thought. "Just an iron breastplate," Lydia answered ahead of me.

"Iron? We have enough for good steel," I momentarily ignored Oengul and turned my head to face her.

"We're going to make whole new sets back in Whiterun, remember?" she cast a look back at me. "A simple iron plate will see me back to Whiterun just fine, so long as you ignore your crazy adventures."

"That's asking a lot of me," I frowned and turned back to the blacksmith. "So, how much for that?"

"...About five hundred septims should cover it," he answered with a shrug.

I nearly choked on hearing the number. "That's fucking outrageous," I stated aloud. "I know something like that isn't worth more than about a hundred."

His eyes narrowed in a glare. "I have an order with the Stormcloaks you're cutting in on. I have to make up for lost time."

"That's a pretty steep surcharge for someone who killed a dragon outside your front door," I returned his glare. "Or are you just pissy that the Dovahkiin doesn't want any part in your Jarl's delusions of grandeur?"

"Ulfric is the true High King of Skyrim. He has stood for our home against the Empire and the Aldmeri and made sure to preserve the worship of might Talos in Windhelm. I'm not interested in dealing with someone who turned away his request for aid," he all but spat at me.

Lydia's hand on my shoulder kept me from acting too recklessly. I unclenched the fist I hadn't realized my hand had tightened into. "We will make it to Whiterun just fine as we are, my Thane. I'm not so fragile as to wilt to the cold." I stared at her for a moment before shooting the blacksmith a dark glare and leaving the market wordlessly towards the front gates.

"Thanks," I muttered to Lydia as we left the town. "If it weren't for you I'd probably be paying off a bounty right now."

"Do not let it get to you, my Prince," she said quietly. "I've no fear that you'll keep me from harm."

"Isn't that supposed to be the other way around?" I asked with a chuckle. My eyes caught sight of a pack of tents set up at the end of the bridge. "Hey, what's that?"

"It looks like one of the Khajiit caravans," Lydia replied.

"Oh yeah? Maybe we can find you something there," I suggested and headed towards them.

A Khajiit with dark brown fur marked by numerous black strips sat just inside the entrance of the largest tent. Laid out before him on a large sheet was a wide assortment of goods. I couldn't help but take notice of the mammoth tusks sitting at one end. It seemed that Ysolda had seen some success. At least my efforts towards getting the tusks hadn't been for nothing.

One thing I noticed a stark lack of, however, was metal armour. I was hoping that the caravan might have something for sale but it seemed we were out of luck. I was about to ask about it when Lydia stooped to grab a set of leathers not terribly different from my own, if less ragged. "I thought you preferred metal armour," I said as she inspected the tunic.

"You seem to do fairly well with lighter gear," she answered with a shrug. "Considering the way you live there must be something to it."

"I'm tougher than you are," I said with a frown.

"You also put yourself in the way. At the very least I'll still have my shield," she assured me. "How much for this armour?" she asked the Khajiit inside the tent.

"I think that one hundred septims should be fair," he answered with an approving nod.

I reached into my pack and pulled out a pair of golden pendants. "How about I give you these and we call it even? You could probably sell each of them for what these leathers cost," I suggested. I was loathe to use my actual money.

The Khajiit seemed to ponder it for a moment before hips lips pulled back in a grin. "It's a deal. I can always sell jewellery."

I thanked him and helped Lydia get the armour tightened around her torso properly. It was definitely the first time in my life teaching someone the proper way to wear light armour. "At least it fits," I chuckled as I straightened out the last strap. "How does it feel?"

"...Exposed," she answered simply.

I laughed openly at that. "Well, like you said, you still have your shield," I remarked with a grin. "Now come on. I'd like to get out of this hostile place before sunset."

* * *

><p>"...Are we headed the right way?" I called back to my housecarl about two hours down the road.<p>

"You have the map, my Thane," she very helpfully pointed out.

I shot her an annoyed look. "Yeah, but you're the local," I said and pulled the crinkled up map from its pocket.

"I'm not from this section of Skyrim. I've never had any reason to travel to Eastmarch," she sounded almost annoyed.

I let out an over-exasperated sigh. "Some guide you've turned out to be."

"I never claimed to be an effective guide."

"...Okay, that's a good point," I conceded as I looked over the map. "Alright, then. I'll be the guide," I said a moment later with a laugh and turned to start jogging up the hill next to the road.

"My Thane?" Lydia asked after me as she followed.

"This road leads to Ivarstead, and I don't feel like walking the long way around," I explained as we worked our way into the brush. "Looks like if we cut through this forest, though, we'll be able to whip straight towards Whiterun."

"It can prove rather dangerous to travel off the road," she warned.

"Then we won't be bored," I replied cheerily. "Come on. This turns two days' travel into one. We should be able to make it through here by nightfall."

"That's quite the claim, coming from someone unfamiliar with the area," Lydia happened to point out.

"Fair point. I'm mostly just going by the way it looks on the map," I admitted. "Still, I don't figure it's too important that we rush. I just wanted out of Windhelm."

"I can hardly blame you. I didn't realize Windhelm was so...proud," she shook her head.

"I suppose that's one way of putting it," I laughed. "To be honest, I think the Legion gave me a friendlier reception, and they put me on the chopping block. At least that had nothing to do with my race."

"Do people's prejudices ever bother you?" Lydia asked suddenly. Or perhaps it simply caught me off-guard. Her tone was purely inquisitive, as usual.

I shrugged as I considered the question. "...Not really, no," I answered after a moment. "It used to, I guess, when I first started travelling. I guess I just ran into it enough in eastern Cyrodiil to get used to it. Bruma and Cheydinhal are pretty hostile to Argonians and Khajiit. I didn't go there very often." I chuckled as I thought of my stay in Cyrodiil and glanced over my shoulder at Lydia. "I actually decided to come to Skyrim on one of my less unfriendly stays in Bruma. All the Nords around made me curious about the place when they weren't being self-righteous assholes."

"Do you ever regret coming here?"

"Nah. I've definitely had more fun here than I ever did back in Cyrodiil. I think that place has had all the action it can handle, considering the Oblivion Crisis and the First Great War," we made our way through a thick grove as we talked. The forest reminded me of one I had travelled through in Black Marsh many years before, though it was significantly less wet and fewer in things trying to kill me. "Skyrim is quite alive with adventure. There are so many places in this country waiting to be explored. You also have a lot more bandits and other undesirables, so there's no shortage of work for a mercenary like me."

"You seem to be very fond of referring to yourself that way, my Thane," Lydia pointed out. I noticed a pair of deer dash away through the brush ahead of us and a fox curiously eyeing us from the cover of some dense bushes to the side.

"I am a mercenary," I replied. "I wander around from town to town getting paid to do odd jobs, usually in the form of killing people. That sounds like a mercenary to me."

"You are the Thane of Whiterun, a Prince of Black Marsh and the Dragonborn. Calling yourself a mercenary seems...improper," she answered with a slight frown. "Besides, most of the time you take jobs to help people."

I was about to remark that I always charged people when it occurred to me that I had never been paid by Taryn, even if Lydia didn't know that. "Name one time I've ever done something out of the goodness of my heart," I challenged. "I've always gotten something out of whatever work I do."

"If you say so, my Thane," Lydia conceded. I was a little bit disappointed that our debate didn't last longer.

We became silent as we made our way through the forest, deciding we would be better off being able to hear any sounds of wildlife. There may not have been thrinaxes or fen snakes to worry about in Skyrim but I didn't fancy the idea of stumbling into a sabre cat either. Thankfully the only animals we encountered wanted less to do with us than we did with them. Every so often I would catch a glimpse of a deer or goat dashing away through the brush or a rabbit slip down some hidden hole. I shucked off my cloak as we made our way into the warmer climate of the middle of the country.

The sky was beginning to darken when we came upon a lake at the foot of the mountain range laying between Whiterun and Windhelm. "This look familiar?" I called back to Lydia for the first time in hours.

She shook her head. "This is still further east than I've travelled before," she replied. "Is this place on the map?"

I was already unfolding the scrap of parchment as she asked. "According to the map, this place is called...Mara's Eye," I said. "I wonder why it's called that. Is there something romantic about a lake with an island in the middle?"

"Maybe someone just thought it sounded nice," Lydia suggested with a shrug. "Regardless, this place seems as good as any to settle down for the night."

"It does," I agreed and looked across the expanse of water. I guessed it ranged almost a kilometre across; a large circle cut out of the ground by something long ago. I wondered if it perhaps a glacier had settled here and melted.

A few minutes later saw Lydia and I sitting on the shore next to a fire on the lake's beach. The flames flickered on the water along with the glow of the setting sun. "This place is quite picturesque," I said as we settled down. Lydia hummed in response as her eyes stared out across the glassy surface of the lake. "...We should fuck on this beach," I broke the silence that stretched between us.

Lydia's shocked expression brought a loud laugh from my lips. Apparently I needed to curse more so it wouldn't be so surprising. "Mara's the goddess of sex or something, right? Seems appropriate."

"Goddess of love," she corrected me. I wondered if the pink glowing from her cheeks was a blush or just the light of the fire.

"Same thing," I shrugged and turned my head to look at her with a snicker. "So...?"

Her eyes gazed back at mine for a few seconds before she let out a quiet laugh. "You've certainly had worse ideas, my Thane," she said after a moment and brushed an errant lock of hair behind her ear. My hand chased hers as far as her cheek and held her in place while I leaned in to kiss her.

I wasted no time in pushing her back to lay on the grass next to the water. Our kiss deepened and within seconds our tongues were twisting and lashing together in a lustful frenzy. I didn't know where our passion was coming from and wasn't particularly concerned with it.

Lydia's nails scratched lightly at the softer scales among the spines on the back of my neck. I hissed against her mouth and responded by slipping my hand between her thighs to press against her crotch. My hazy mind didn't process immediately that my efforts were ineffective while she was still wearing her armour. I pulled back to flick the straps and catches holding her leggings secured. She hoarsely whispered something I didn't catch when I pulled her pants down her waist.

Her hands fumbled with the bindings of her tunic but I wasn't overly concerned with that. I was far more eager in pushing her onto her back and forcing my head between her thighs. A loud moan echoed across the lake when I nuzzled my snout against her damp underwear. I inhaled her scent and all but tore away the fabric covering her. I heard her fingers slip in their work on removing her armour when my tongue snapped against her clitoris.

My palms slid over the surprisingly smooth and soft skin her thighs. I knew Lydia to be physically strong, having seen her in combat as often as I had, so it always caught me a little unawares at how supple her flesh felt. My hands quickly found their way under her to grip her ass and lift her so my tongue could more easily push through her folds and into her waiting pussy. She gasped something before her breath left her in a loud moan.

I felt her ankles press against my shoulder blades and saw her stomach flex to keep herself held up. I moved one of my hands from its place at her ass to join my mouth in working at her moist sex. My first finger pushed into her slick flesh easily enough that I wasted no time in adding a second. I dragged the entire length of my tongue across her hardened clitoris and let her lower herself back down to the ground before gliding up her body and pressing my lips to hers.

She gripped my neck with one hand while her other flew down to replace my mouth. My own free hand wrapped around her back to hold her tightly against me. The feel of her stiff nipples and full breasts pressing into my chest was fantastic. My tongue pushed into her mouth along with my fingers in her pussy. She tried desperately to keep kissing me back between her cries and pants of pleasure. "My Prince, I'm..." she moaned brokenly in my ear when her lips could no longer keep up with mine. I was happy to lavish attention on her lovely neck in lieu of her mouth. "I'm going to cum..." she finished a moment later.

The flesh of her throbbing sex gripped my fingers tightly. It made continuing to work them in and out of her somewhat challenging but I persisted to draw out her orgasm. I enjoyed the sounds she made when she was screaming in my ear too much to stop. She twisted and writhed in my embrace and I rather enjoyed the feel of her skin grinding against my scales. After several long, gorgeous seconds her climax began to subside and she was left shaking in my arm. "You feeling alright after that?" I teased her even as my fingers dragged lazily through the soaking folds of her labia.

I could swear her post-orgasmic blush deepened. "I suppose I should find myself fortunate to have a Thane so concerned about my wellbeing," she returned as her lungs heaved in air.

I was about to make some smart remark when a familiar and very unwelcome tingling started in the base of my neck. I jumped off Lydia and hastily glanced around the camp. My eyes immediately fell on a pair of dark silhouettes at the edge of the light from our fire. "You're shitting me," I growled. "You couldn't have waited like, fifteen minutes?"

"Sorry. It's been days since my last meal. I just couldn't wait any longer," one of them spoke as they stepped into the light. They were both humans, one male and one female and dressed in wrappings usually used for transporting cadavers. I saw that they were deathly pale and their eyes glinted red and gold in the firelight. The female's lips curled back in a feral grin and revealed long, pointed fangs.

"Lydia! Sword!" I barked just before they dashed towards us. "Grab your sword!" I clarified an instant later.

I didn't have time to grab my own before the female vampire was on me. Her hand slashed at me with jagged nails and I lapsed into memory of combat training from my lifetime back home. I caught her wrist with one hand and spun on my heel to add some momentum behind my tail when I crushed it into her ribs. I snapped my foot forward as my other arm snaked around her neck so I could finish the twist by throwing her over my hip. This wasn't some brawl over coin or chivalry; this was life or death.

Or undeath, my mind helpfully reminded me when I thought of the woman's fangs. I had never faced a vampire in combat before, or actually encountered one for that matter. I had only heard of them in books, both fiction and non. I knew they were real and when my opponent didn't immediately rise from where I had slammed her into a log I hadn't seen before I flicked through what I remembered of them.

That I had heard once of their weakness to fire snapped to my mind in a flash. I glanced over at my housecarl, already charging a shot of flame in my palm. I saw that she had just removed one of her foe's hands with her sword, though he was still relentlessly closing in on her. Several burning darts shot from my palm and exploded against the male vampire's back. His flesh lit up like a draugr's, though his shriek of agony was much more pronounced. Lydia took advantage of the distraction to hack his head from his shoulders.

A snarl called my attention back to my own opponent. She leaped at me from the ground and I only had time to raise my arm for her to sink her teeth into. Blood streamed from her mouth as she fed greedily from the wound, twisting her teeth in the flesh so more would flow. I swore at her while a stream of fire burst from my hand at her stomach. Her scream of pain echoed across the still waters of Mara's Eye when her body was immolated.

"My Thane!" Lydia's voice was thick with concern as she ran over. I brushed some ashes from my scales and noticed that it didn't do much to change their colour. "You're bitten!" she said when she knelt down next to me.

I chuckled against my pain and enveloped the injury in the golden glow of my restoration spell. "Don't worry. Wolves bite a lot harder than she did," I assured my housecarl.

She didn't seem very assured by my words. "But...she was a vampire..."

"And I'm an Argonian. We don't contract Porphyric Hemophilia or Sanguinare Vampiris or whatever you call it up here very easily," I said and flexed the healed arm. "If I start to show symptoms I'll just stop in at the apothecary in Whiterun for a disease potion."

"If you are certain, my Thane," she relented. "I must admit, I didn't expect to run into anyone out here."

"Maybe that's why we ran into a couple of vampires," I laughed. "I must say, I'm a little disappointed in myself for how well you fought. Apparently I wasn't doing something right."

"I'm terribly sore for it," she said with a quick wince. "Do not fret, my Thane. I'm not in any way disappointed with how you did. I am, however, rather upset at the interruption."

"I can tell. You really took that guy's head off," I snickered at her disapproving look. Apparently she wasn't a big fan of puns. "In the interest of avoiding any more interruptions to our wonderful evening out here, however, I'm going to that island in the middle of the lake to make sure there isn't anyone else out here."

I unlatched my dagger from my belt and headed to the water. "In case you hadn't noticed, you're still naked, my Thane," Lydia felt compelled to point out as she set to redressing.

I looked back at her with a raised brow. "I'm aware. I don't want to get my armour wet," I said and then chuckled. "I've already killed one while naked. Now I'm naked and I have a knife. They don't stand a chance." I looked across the camp. "You should stay here and keep our stuff safe. I'll only be a few minutes."

My housecarl looked ready to argue but conceded and I slipped into the lake like I was born to live in it. I swam through the surprisingly deep water with solid movements of my tail to keep myself hidden from any enemies and the local wildlife. I wasn't in the mood to deal with a slaughterfish and was immensely thankful there weren't any of the dozens of dangers from Black Marsh. The creatures lurking in the deep swamps made swimming in them quite the hazard at times.

I crawled up the shore when I reached the island, uncaring that I was likely to be getting a little muddy doing it. My eyes darted around, taking in every detail they could in the darkness. Night had descended quickly while Lydia and I had been enjoying ourselves.

It took me only a moment to find the trapdoor set into the ground near the middle of the island. I eased the door open just enough to see light inside, then enough to stick my head through and look around. The place seemed empty from what I could see, so I tossed the door back and hopped down, dagger tight in my grip.

A cursory glance showed some signs of a struggle that led to a mess near some steps leading to the underground well below me. I stepped closer and saw that the mess was a human body that I presumed had been torn apart by the vampires. Some further investigation revealed that this place was often used as a den for smugglers and that the corpse was likely once one such individual. Apparently the vampires had been disguised as bodies for the man to be moving.

I hauled what remained of the body out of the hole, thankful that there wasn't enough blood left in it to give it a chance to rot much. I pitched the corpse into the waters on the far side of the small dock on the island for the local fauna to enjoy. Luckily there was a small boat tethered to the dock that I took back to our camp.

"I found a boat," I called out as I approached the shore. "I mean, it isn't much of a boat. I'm pretty sure it's leaking a little. But it's a boat nonetheless and should get our stuff over to a hidey-hole I found on the island where we can spend the night, safe and sound."

Lydia gave a bemused smile as she offered me my equipment. I tossed my things onto a dry seat in the boat before hopping off and washing down in the water. I didn't feel like getting mud and corpse-matter on the inside of my armour and figured I'd be dry enough to get dressed once we were back at the island.

"Any plans on what we're to do once we make it back to Whiterun?" my housecarl asked as we finished loading up.

"Lydia, if I actually start to make plans for the things I do you'll be the first to know, I assure you," I said and laughed openly when she rolled her eyes at me. Whatever adventures we ended up getting to when we returned, I was happy that I'd probably be having them with my trusted housecarl.

* * *

><p>AN: This wrapped itself up quite nicely, I have to say. At least as far as ease of writing it went. The other seven pages that were kind of a pain in the ass, though.


	19. Chapter 19

We wandered back into Whiterun at about midday. We hadn't seen hide nor hair of any beast or bandit on the entire trip since Mara's Eye and I was feeling rather happy with that fact. For the first time in a long time I had gone an entire day without getting into some sort of altercation.

I decided to head towards the market in the hopes of finding Ysolda. My first priority was making certain my sister had arrived safely and been taken care of. If I was lucky it would take me a few hours and I could pretend that I had spent the day doing other things. I couldn't let my sister know I actually cared or I'd never be rid of her.

My trip to the market was interrupted by the girl in question walking out of a house. The timing seemed oddly perfect, I noted absently. "Hey, Kees," I chuckled as she caught sight of me and dashed towards me. "You find some young male for me to beat up?"

She looked downright confused at my words. "No. This is your new home," she said with a motion towards the building.

I should have known that there would be something terrible waiting for me when I got back to Whiterun. "My what?" I asked stupidly. She led Lydia and I into the house without elaborating. "You didn't," I stated simply and looked around the place. "Even you couldn't be so crass."

"Crass?" Keesara squawked. "You'd call your own sister crass after she went to all the trouble of buying you a house."

"I'd call my own sister crass after she bought a house _in my name_," I hissed. "Conveniently leaving me with all the debt, I might add."

"It is a very nice house, my Thane," Lydia chimed in as she looked around the well-furnished place. Apparently my sister's expensive tastes extended to her "gifts" as well.

I turned a mild glare on my housecarl. "Quiet. You're not helping me be angry with my sister," I murmured.

"Half-sister," Keesara didn't miss her unintended cue. "It isn't like I left you with all the debt. I already paid almost two thousand septims of it."

My eyes snapped back to her. "Why did you have almost two thousand septims? Wait, stupid question: you're foppish," I almost laughed at her indignant expression. I cut her off before she could complain. "How close to two thousand is 'almost'?"

"...About a thousand and six hundred," she admitted quietly.

"And how much did this place cost?"

"After I had the place cleaned and furnished?" she asked and made a rather cute face as she did the mental math. "Around...six and a half thousand, I believe."

"So I still owe about five. Wondrous," I sighed. Leave it up to my sister to buy a house when I left her alone too long, I mentally groaned. The look of hope in her eyes that I'd be appeased made me sigh again. "Oh well, what's done is done. No sense in grousing too much about it now," I relented.

"I knew you'd like it, Kailev-Tel," she beamed and jumped to circle her arms around my neck in a nearly choking hug.

I stumbled back from the force and frowned at Keesara's shoulder but nonetheless hugged her back."I wouldn't go that far," I made sure to keep my tone annoyed. "Now then, how about you show me around my new house? I don't like being a stranger in my own home."

She quite cheerily gave me a tour of the house. It wasn't large, but it didn't feel particularly cramped either. The bottom floor was dominated by a firepit in the centre. Towards the back was a large table and a set of shelves. Keesara briefly showed me the "spare" bedroom behind the stairs, just past what amounted to the house's dining room. At the top of the stairs to the immediate left was Lydia's room. "The man who sold me the house said it was for the Thane's housecarl, which I'm assuming is you," my sister eyed Lydia as she spoke.

She nodded. "Yes. It is my duty to serve your brother."

"Half-brother," Keesara and I spoke in unison. I visibly sighed.

Lydia looked almost startled by it. "Why...?" she began, though I cut her off before she could get too far.

"In hist the words are completely different," I said with a shrug. "We were constantly reminded about that as children when we were learning Cyrodiilic. It's just natural to correct it."

"I see," she seemed satisfied enough by the explanation, though I wondered why she didn't ask why we never referred to each other with the proper terms.

Lydia stayed behind to inspect her room more thoroughly while Keesara and I headed to the last room. When we reached it my sister turned to face me with a grin. "And this is our room," she said as she swept her arm across the space. At the centre was a large bed with a weapon plaque at the head. The plaque had a pair of swords and a shield mounted on it and I made a mental note to take them down as soon as possible. I may have been durable but I didn't like the idea of a bracket giving way and dropping a piece of steel onto my head. An ostentatious uncle of mine who was too proud of his weapons had died that way.

"You mean this is my room," I corrected her.

Her lips turned into a pout again. "The bed is big enough to share."

I nodded my assent. "You're right. That definitely makes it my room. Your room is the one downstairs with the bed too tiny for anything more than you to fit in it."

My sister looked nearly aghast. "You can't make me take the spare room!" she shouted.

"It isn't the spare room. It's your room. I thought we'd established that," I said with a confused frown.

Her lips moved, though she seemed too shocked at my refusal to let her sleep with me to properly form words. She should have gotten used to me rebuffing her advances by now, I thought. "Fine," she grumbled after a moment. "But as long as you aren't home I get your room."

My frown deepened enough to crease my brow. "Whatever. I'm going to be around for a while, since apparently I have a few thousand septims to pay off. Speaking of which, you know about any decent paying work around town?" I asked and almost immediately slapped a hand to my head. "Wait, what am I saying? I can't remember you doing an hour's worth of work back home."

"I worked nearly every day of my life tending to the Hist grove in our home," she hissed indignantly.

"I can only fathom how hard it is to keep a bunch of trees happy," I rolled my eyes.

My sister responded with a hard punch to my ribs. The fact that it hurt more than any of the blows I had received from the men I'd fought so far in Skyrim spoke volumes. "Kailev-Tel! You can't speak of the Hist like that. They blessed all of Black Marsh with the gift of thriving life," she glared at me while I rubbed at my chest through my leathers.

"That's dressing it up to be a lot prettier than it is," I said with a frown. "I'm not having this argument with you right now. I'm sure it'll come up again at some point," I shook my head and brushed past her. "So, how's your room?" I asked Lydia as she exited it.

"It is nice. I haven't had my own room since I was a child," she said with a pretty smile. She looked quite content and I found myself smiling in return. At least there was some benefit to my sister's easy spending.

* * *

><p>The next day saw me getting everything sorted out with my apparent ownership of property. There was a shocking amount of paperwork involved with a sibling buying a house in my name, as it turned out. I was glad to have it done with. At least it gave me the chance to give the steward the two thousand septims I had collected in my travels. It felt good to take a piece out of what I owed, even if it was a little less than half.<p>

I walked down the steps of the keep and wondered what I was going to do to get some money. Before that, I realized, I had to get new equipment for Lydia and I. As much as I wanted to commit whatever funds we had to wiping out the debt effectively pinning me in place I had an obligation to my housecarl, if not myself. I didn't want her getting needlessly injured because I had wasted all of our money on my own debt.

Considering the amount of jewellery we had picked up from raiding various bandit holes, I figured we would be able to trade enough to get some new gear. The thought suddenly occurred to me that I could probably enchant a bunch of it and sell it at a higher price if I actually knew any enchantments. Perhaps it was time to go through all of the various amulets and rings we had picked up and see if any were already magically enhanced. I had never thought to check.

"Kailev-Tel!" I heard a familiar voice call as I made my way through the market.

I caught a flash of bright red hair and turned to see Ysolda quickly making her way towards me through the crowds. "Hey," I returned the greeting with a short wave.

"It's good to see you again, my Thane," she beamed at me with a bright smile. It startled me to have someone other than Lydia refer to me that way. "When did you get back? Your sister asked me to let her know when you returned."

"I got back yesterday. I already met with her. And my new house," I said. I fixed her with a curious look. "Did you happen to have anything to do with that?"

The question seemed to surprise her. "All I did was tell her that there was a house for sale and I had heard people speaking of its intention for the Thane," she said after a moment. "We spoke with the Jarl's steward and we managed to convince him of her relation to you. She's the one who decided to actually purchase the house."

Despite my reservations to being tied to a place by property ownership I was glad my sister had been taken care of. She'd have made me buy the house sooner or later, anyway. "Thanks for giving her a hand with that stuff," I said after a moment with a returned smile.

"You don't have to thank me, my Thane. She's your sister. That's reason enough for me to help her. It's the least I can do after all you've done for me."

Or _to_ you, I wanted to say but held my tongue. "How's it going, anyway?" I asked instead. "Did you ever get a chance to sell any of those tusks I got you?"

She gave me a bright smile and nodded. "It's going great, actually! I've already managed to sell most of the tusks you gave me and I've been working out a good price with Hulda for the Bannered Mare. If I'm lucky I'll be gaining part-ownership with her in a couple months."

"And once she's done with helping you run the place I'm assuming she'll retire and leave you with full ownership, right?"

"That's the plan," the woman's grin widened and I felt the corners of my own lips pulling back. "I can't thank you enough for helping me get started on collecting enough money for this."

I couldn't suppress my smirk. "You've already thanked me plenty, but I suppose if you'd really like to again I'd be more than happy to humour you," I replied with a chuckle.

Her cheeks turned slightly rosy and her grin vanished in exchange for what I took for a sly smirk like my own. "I'd only be too happy to show my gratitude for having a kind and generous Thane like yourself serving my home, Kailev-Tel."

"Then it would certainly be prudent of me to join you some time in the near future and we can catch up," I said. I was about to turn away and continue on when Ysolda's teeth caught her lip between them. I stared at her mouth for a few seconds before taking a hasty glance around to make sure no one was paying too much attention to us. I didn't see anyone so I didn't see the harm in leaning down to give her a brief kiss. She gasped but reciprocated for the moment that it lasted.

It felt pretty good to give the young woman a kiss in public with complete disregard for appearances or the possibility of being caught. For all I knew Lydia could have come looking for me and ended up in the market. I pondered briefly whether she might be upset or not. We hadn't expressed any notion of a monogamous relationship, but females were beyond confusing, regardless of race.

I snapped out of my thoughts and pulled away from Ysolda's enticing lips. "Until then," I shot her another smirk and headed onward to my house.

I returned to find my sister and housecarl chatting about something over a meal. They stopped talking upon seeing me enter and I didn't catch enough of what had been said to pick up exactly what it was. "Everything finished, my Thane?" Lydia asked when I shut the door.

"I'm hoping so," I chuckled.

"How much do you still owe?" Keesara asked as though she intended to help pay it off. I snorted at the thought.

"About four thousand or something, I don't know. I gave them the two thousand I had," I shrugged easily. I settled down to the table with the food my sister had made in my absence. I smiled upon tearing off a piece of the fish with my fork. Even after four years she remembered my favourite food. The fact that she had cleaned and cooked three silverside perch for me was rather touching. It also made me realize I had no clue what she liked to eat.

"Then you owe three thousand now, my Thane." Lydia cut in on my thoughts.

"We're doing even better than I thought. Wonderful," I chuckled after washing down the fish with some clean water. "We don't have any actual money left, though, so we're going to have to start selling all that jewellery and shit we've grabbed from bandit camps."

"I believe it would be wise to sort through it all first, so we know how much we have to work with," my housecarl suggested.

I nodded in agreement while I chewed. I thought to look down at my chest in search of whatever pendant I must have been wearing to find nothing. I pondered on what had happened to all the ones I had put on in the past. They simply kept vanishing. I wondered if I could find the old pendant I had enchanted upon first arriving in Whiterun among the many tossed carelessly into our packs.

"Do you like the food?" Keesara piped up with a hopeful smile on her face.

"It's something," I shrugged and barely withheld my smile when she huffed and grumbled something under her breath. My foot reached out and nudged her leg under the table. "I'm teasing you. It's surprisingly tasty. I didn't know you could cook. Seems like it'd upset the trees, making a fire like that."

"Ugh. Don't even start," she gave me a rather pointed kick in the shin in response to my jibes and I regretted not having any plate covering it. "And of course I can cook. I wasn't going to spend however long it took to find you eating whatever _ilsek_ the common Imperial calls food."

I didn't glance away from my food when I nudged her again, although this time when I nudged her with my foot, it was more akin to the blow she had landed against my shin. Her leg jumped on reflex to the kick and her knee slammed into the table with a satisfying thud. Another curse erupted from my sister's lips as she rubbed her abused leg. This time I did give her a sharp look. "Watch your damn tongue. I'm not gonna have my sister speaking like me," I warned.

"Half-sister," she hissed.

"All the more reason not to talk like I do," I snickered. Keesara recovered quickly enough for Lydia to not question if she was hurt. I knew there wasn't any need to worry; my sister was pretty tough, for a female. More than once I'd been on the receiving end of her self-righteous fury and it made me glad my dark scales didn't show bruising. "How long did you prepare before chasing after me, anyway?"

"Almost a year," she said after she was done glaring at me.

"That's a lot of preparation," Lydia spoke, having finished her meal. It reminded me of the remaining fish and a half on my plate.

"Unlike my brother..."

"Half-brother."

"...I actually plan things," she carried on heedless of my interruption.

"He is rather impulsive, isn't he?" my housecarl smile slyly at me.

"Hey, most of the time I'm pretty sure whatever I'm doing isn't going to get me killed," I spoke around my mouthful of food.

"I love the way he says 'most of the time'," my sister's sarcastic tone was accompanied by a familiar eye-roll. I was good at getting those out of people.

I stifled my chuckle with a quick swig of water. "Yeah, me too," I said with a grin.

* * *

><p>I hissed as I once again caught my finger in my tongs. Making chainmail was proving to be a literal pain. Still, I thought as I surveyed my nearly-completed work, it was a very useful skill to be learning. Hardened leather had a bad habit of deteriorating rapidly with my lifestyle. I figured having a good mail shirt under light steel plate was better suited to the rigours of being the Dragonborn.<p>

It was annoying to be pinching my fingers in the tongs every five or six links, though. Riveting all the necessary rings together was a tedious labour. I had started in the mid-afternoon and the sun was beginning to set in the sky by the time I was done the first half. "At least now I have an idea of how big to make the other side," I mumbled to myself. Constantly checking the first sleeve to make sure it would fit had been irritating.

"I didn't know you were a smith, Thane," an increasingly familiar voice lifted my eyes from my work.

"There's probably a lot you don't know about me, Ysolda," I chuckled as the woman neared. "Thankfully most of it's pretty boring."

"I have a hard time believing that," she remarked with a laugh. "Is that a mail shirt made of gold?" she asked after taking a look at the sheet of links I was piecing together.

"I wish. I can only imagine the looks I'd get with that. It's an alloy made from refined moonstone and quicksilver," I replied and returned my attention to the metal on the table before me. "Apparently it's some Altmer technique or something. Adrianne showed me how to make it earlier when I asked her for some help with making Lydia and myself armour."

"I suppose it makes sense to be able to forge and repair your own armour, considering what the Dragonborn must get up to," Ysolda said in an amused tone.

"It helps," I nodded and shot her a smirk. "You'd be shocked at how much trouble people start with apparent living legends."

"I'd be shocked if you didn't lead a rather exciting life," she giggled. It was odd talking to a truly feminine female after the extended time spent around my housecarl.

It was refreshing, as much as I enjoyed Lydia's company. "As exciting as I can make it," I agreed with a laugh. My joviality was cut short by my pinching my finger again clamping down a rivet. "Damn, that stings," I muttered and rubbed at the offended digit. I was grateful that the scales of my hands were already hardened from years of various work.

Her concerned frown surprised me. "How long have you been making that armour?" she asked.

"Since just after lunch," I answered with a look to the sky. "Time's just flown by, hasn't it?"

Her frown deepened. "You mean you haven't eaten since?"

"I guess not. I hadn't really noticed," I shrugged easily.

"Well I can't have a Thane going hungry. Come on; I'll make you some supper. I'm sure the armour's willing to wait until tomorrow," Ysolda offered with a kind smile.

I considered refusing but didn't see any harm in taking her up on her offer. I had a couple of days before finding work would be too critical and I had already gotten most of the work done on the armour. "Sounds good. Just let me get this stuff put away."

It only took a couple minutes to get the rings of mail sorted and locked up inside a chest in Warmaiden's. I thanked Adrianne for her help and told her I would return the next day before I left with Ysolda. I considered stopping in at my house as we passed but didn't see much issue with not. It wasn't as if I was vanishing in the middle of the night.

"I don't remember seeing you wearing that earlier," Ysolda gestured to my vest.

"I bought it from Adrianne. It has to be the most comfortable thing I've ever worn," I glanced down at it. "Apparently it's made of deer leather and lined with rabbit fur or something. Either way it's warm and soft. I think she said it was for some rich aristocrat that ordered it then got killed by bandits on a trip. It fit so I decided to indulge."

"That's indulging for you?"

"You found me working on chainmail. Most of the clothing I wear isn't designed for comfort," I pointed out. "What were you doing at the blacksmith's, anyway?" I asked as we walked.

"I went to your house to see if you were around and your housecarl told me where to find you," Ysolda replied. "She seemed rather unhappy about it..."

"She's just upset about being left out of something," I chuckled. "And probably about having to stay at the house with my brat of a sister. It's a trying experience, believe me."

"I thought she was quite kind and polite," my companion's lips curved into a frown.

"Get to know her," I returned with a grin. "She's the pinnacle of decorum, so long as she gets her way."

"I suppose a brother would know best," she relented.

I stopped myself just short of correcting her and shook my head at the stupid habit. "I should hope that four years apart doesn't wipe out the first sixteen I got to know her."

"You left Black Marsh four years ago?" she asked and it occurred to me that I had never told her anything about myself beyond my statuses as a mercenary, the Thane of Whiterun and the Dragonborn.

"Apparently," I chuckled and noticed we had reached the market. It was quite quiet, the last few people around either packing up or making last-minute purchases. "That would certainly explain why most of that time was spent elsewhere. Elsweyr, too, for a while."

Ysolda surprised me with a laugh at my stupid joke. When we reached her home I unconsciously stepped forward and opened the door for her. She smiled and brushed past me. I wondered when I had become so chivalrous.

I realized that I hadn't paid much attention to the place during my last visit. I took a look around while Ysolda opened the shutters covering a window to let in some fresh air and I lit a couple candles. It was a small house dominated by a fire pit in the centre. There was a table to one side with a pair of chairs next to it, though I also noticed another pair sitting beside the fire pit. "I suppose you didn't get much chance to look around last time you were here," my female companion remarked.

"I had more important things to worry about, as I recall," I smirked. "Still do, actually. I must admit that you've caught my interest with this idea of food."

I helped Ysolda prepare our supper, against her insistence that I relax. I wasn't content to sit around and wait; I was too hungry. I chopped vegetables while she sliced up a large piece of salted venison into something akin to steaks. She surprised me with how well she wielded her knife and I was impressed that she had kept it so sharp.

"You're a lot better at butchery than I am," I noted.

She chuckled and nodded towards my hacked up medley of vegetables. "I'd say so. It looks like you hacked those vegetables apart with a sword."

"I like to stick with what I know," I returned the laugh. It was oddly domestic of me to be making supper, and with someone else, no less. My life certainly had changed since coming to Skyrim. For all the added excitement there were times of peace I was unused to. It had been years since I'd had neighbours. Perhaps owning a home in the country wouldn't be so bad, I thought.

Ysolda set to cleaning her hands while I put the steaks on a rack over the cooking pit. There was a small stack of firewood nearby that I grabbed a pair of logs from and I set them ablaze with a burst of flame from my palm.

"That's a shockingly mundane use for magic," the redheaded woman said with an amused smile.

I shrugged and returned her smile. She joined me with the vegetables in a pan coated in some kind of animal fat. She set it over the fire beckoned me to sit on one of the chairs next to the pit while she grabbed something for us to drink. "I'm nothing if not practical," I said as she sat next to me on the other chair and handed me a wooden cup filled with red wine.

"I suppose philandering _is_ quite practical," she remarked offhandedly

I nearly spat a mouthful of wine into the fire but caught myself before my surprise showed. "Am I a philanderer?" I chuckled after a moment in an attempt to avoid the inevitable.

"By the strictest definition. You know Carlotta and I work in the same section of town?"

"...It hadn't occurred to me, but that makes sense. The market's a pretty busy place," I nodded. "So you two are friends?"

She looked like she wanted to grin and I took it as a good sign that she wasn't too upset. "I certainly like to think so. We've known each since she moved to Skyrim with her family." I was tempted to ask about Carlotta's dead spouse but figured it would've been somewhat tactless.

I distracted myself by flipping the steaks. Years of work and weapon use had thickened my scales to the point that the heat of the fire didn't much bother them. "I didn't expect my sleeping around to catch up with me," I admitted at length. "You don't seem too pissed about it, at least."

Ysolda laughed openly at that and stood to get some plates and cutlery for us. "Should I be?" she asked in an amused tone.

"Honestly, I'm more shocked that both of you actually had sex with me than I would've been at you being angry," I shrugged in an attempt to deflect my embarrassment at being caught with humour. "Two humans in one town...That's a definite first for me."

"Perhaps two isn't quite enough to be a philanderer," the woman beside me hummed.

I wondered if three was as I helped her plate the food for us. She insisted I have more than her, considering my greater size and rather constant physical work. I relented easily; crafting chainmail all afternoon had actually been exhausting.

"If you'd like I could act horrified that someone else decided to take you to their bed," she offered as we sat down at her table. "Perhaps I should pity her?"

"I didn't think I did _that_ badly," I frowned at her over my food.

"Considering how much you apparently get around, I almost wonder if you've gotten any better," my red-haired companion said with remarkable ease as she refilled my cup with wine.

"Was there that much room for improvement?" I raised a brow.

"There always is," she answered simply.

"Fair enough. What makes you think I've even found any other deviants like you to sleep with me?"

"You're just as much a deviant as I in this," she pointed out.

"Never said I wasn't," I said with a shrug and finished my food and downed the last of my wine. "Of course, if you'd really like to find out if I've gotten any better, I guess I could humour you." The faint buzz of alcohol did little else but loosen my tongue.

Ysolda eyed me for a moment as she finished her own meal. "Your housecarl and sister won't miss your presence? It's already after nightfall," she said, though I could tell it was purely for show.

I wasn't about to disappoint her. "Oh, I'm sure they'll live," I chuckled. "So do you want to or not?"

A light blush bloomed on the woman's cheeks, though whether from alcohol or my question I couldn't tell. "You're certainly eager," she giggled and I guessed it to be the former. "I almost believe that I was the last one to lay with you."

"Almost?"

"Your housecarl is a lovely woman, and she's been eyeing you since you two helped me," Ysolda said as she stood from her seat. I was impressed by how steady she was after half a bottle of wine "You mean to say you haven't shared a bed with her?"

"Sharing beds definitely saves on accommodations, I'll say that," I said and watched as she started clearing the table. I quickly hopped to my feet and helped her.

"I imagine keeping each other warm must have been important on the trip to High Hrothgar," she commented.

"Actually, I climbed the mountain on my own," I replied flippantly. "I don't really remember why. I definitely wouldn't have minded some company to help stave off the cold."

"It's starting to get chillier around Whiterun," she remarked. To my shame, it took me a second to catch on.

I nodded and glanced toward an open window. "It is that time of year. It's what, Sun's Dusk still?" I asked.

"Second of Evening Star, actually," she corrected me as she made her way around the house to close the windows. "I feel I should warn you, the nights get quite cold in Skyrim this time of year. A blanket may not be quite enough, and as I recall things got very heated the last time you were here."

I chuckled and stepped up behind her at the last window just as she closed it. My hands came to rest on her waist and she responded by leaning back against my chest. She had a point; the fresh air had cooled the room down, in spite of the fire. The thought occurred that it may be good to toss another log on it. For the time being, though, the warmth of the woman pressed to me would have to suffice.

Her eyes glinted with a playful light and an entertained smile hovered on her lips. She made a questioning hum and I shook my head with another chuckle. "You and your damn games," I murmured and leaned down to kiss her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she laughed quietly before tilting her head back to meet my seeking lips. My arms curled around her middle to pull her tighter. I was thoroughly enjoying the feel of her body so close to mine, even mitigated as it was by our clothing. It was a startling contrast to the body I had been getting used to. Lydia was a solid three inches taller than Ysolda; there was no way I would be able to hold her like this.

My current companion drew me out of my thoughts when she spun in my arms and lifted her own to wrap around my neck. The position was oddly romantic, I noted. Still, I couldn't argue too much with her hungry kiss. Our tongues fought intimately and I could still taste the last hints of our earlier wine on her lips.

My hands began to grow frustrated with her long dress preventing my touching her. The memory of the feel of her skin seemed distant and my trouble recalling it guided my hands to slip behind her to the clasps running up the back of her dress. She did nothing to stop me and I took it as permission to continue. My mouth travelled down her check, past her jaw and landed on her throat as I pulled the clasps open.

I was just about to pull the offending garment down her shoulders when a loud knock at the door rang through the room. Ysolda jumped back in surprise and I directed a dark glare at whoever was on the other side of the door. I glanced back towards the woman regaining her composure. She reached behind her and hastily snapped a couple of her dress's clasps before wiping a quick hand across her lips and neck to rid herself of my saliva. I couldn't help but frown a little. Her cheeks were stained a deep red and her hair was a mess; it was already obvious what was being interrupted.

I stalked over to the door and opened it just as a second series of knocks started. My intention to use language that would make my sister utterly ashamed to even know me stalled when I came face-to-face with my housecarl. For a brief instant I didn't recognize her. She was dressed in a dark brown shirt and green pants. I wondered when she'd purchased civilian clothing. Even her shoes were made of soft leather.

"Oh! There you are, my Thane. I was just going to ask Ysolda if she had seen you," Lydia said glibly. Her smile was altogether too pleased.

I resisted the urge to glare at her and instead returned her cheery demeanour. "Yes, she invited me for supper and I just couldn't refuse, considering all she's helped my sister since she got her. It must've slipped my mind to stop in on the way and let you know," I said with an easy shrug.

"Your sister was concerned when you didn't come home before dusk and asked me to see if I could find you," she explained.

"Well, as you can see he's safe and sound. Sorry if he made you worry," Ysolda said as she stepped up beside me in the doorway.

"His sister also requested that I bring him back when I found him."

"And if I don't go, she'll be kicking the door down. It would seem I have to call it a night, Ysolda," I gave the woman an apologetic smile.

She let out a quiet sigh of frustration that I shared. "We'll have to get together again before you leave again, Kailev-Tel," she said hopefully.

"I'll be around for a while, at least until my debt for the house is paid," I assured her. "Have a good night. I'll make sure to stop by soon."

"Sounds wonderful. Good night," she said as I left with my hosuecarl.

The trip back was silent until we reached the market. "You are just the worst," I sighed.

"Something the matter, my Thane?" Lydia asked innocently.

I narrowed my eyes at her for a moment before shrugging and sighing once more. "Nah. Just frustrated," I replied. "So did you buy those clothes today?"

"Yes. Your sister and I visited the market with some of the spare jewellery," she nodded. The action made the silver amulet around her neck bounce and the amethysts set into it caught my eye. I caught onto the word "spare" and almost had to laugh. Lydia was acting shockingly feminine for someone who I had only previously seen either armoured, naked, or wrapped in bandages.

"Settling into the civilian life?" I chuckled. "I'll find us some work in a couple days, once I've finished working on our armour and weapons. I guess it's only fair you get a chance to relax now that I'm not actively trying to get us killed." It occurred to me that this was the first set of full-metal armour I had ever crafted and it was taking much longer than stitching leather did.

"Don't take too long. I don't want to get rusty waiting around and helping your sister spend your money," she said as we approached the front door of the house. "I don't know if I could take getting thrown off a bridge again."

"You'd be fine. In all fairness, half your broken ribs were from my resuscitation," I remarked and held the door open for Lydia. She shot me a rather shocked look and it occurred to me what I'd done. "Oh, don't look at me like that. It's your fault for wearing girly clothes," I frowned. "Now get inside. I can hear my sister watching the door."

"Half-sister," a voice inside called. I guessed her to be sitting next to the fire, by the volume. I was proven right when Lydia and I walked in. "Glad to see that you didn't decide to run off again," Keesara said and stood up to walk towards me.

"Why would I run away from a house that I own? That's just insanity," I scoffed and brushed past her. "I was at a friend's house for supper. I have those, believe it or not."

"Why didn't you take me?" she pouted and followed me up the stairs. Apparently escaping to my room wasn't going to work.

"Didn't occur to me," I said with a flippant shrug.

She hissed something under her breath that I didn't catch. I turned around and stopped her progress with a hand on her shoulder when we reached the entrance to my room. "I'm going to bed, Kees. I've had a long day," I said, though my eyes pulled to Lydia as I finished. She looked over her shoulder as she walked into her room and blew me a kiss. My eyes shot open briefly before I caught myself.

She stared up at me with pleading eyes. "But we haven't had any chances to catch up since I found you," she said pitifully.

I sighed and flicked the tip of her nose. "You can talk my ear off all day tomorrow. Now buzz off, fleshfly." She was left standing outside door as I slipped into the room and closed it.

I took what I could see of the room in the dark. I thought of lighting a candle but didn't think it worth the hassle. I stripped off my vest, tossing it onto a chest I knew to be at the foot of my bed. The blankets were cool, a welcome feeling to my frustrated body. I supposed that my sleeping around really had caught up with me. "A wounded thrinax is friendlier than a vindictive woman," Tal-Jarad had once told me. I sighed and closed my eyes. At least the swords weren't hanging over my head anymore.

* * *

><p>AN: This feels like chapter 7 all over again, except this time with belligerent sexual tension. I'm not sure if it's better or worse that it's longer. At least it's written now and I'm one step closer to an actually planned arc. As always, I encourage you to leave your thoughts, positive or negative as they may be.


	20. Chapter 20

When the door to my roam creaking open woke me I turned further into my blankets and withheld my groan. After almost a week of living in Whiterun I was starting to grow annoyed that someone opening the door to my room in my own house still disturbed my rest. I should have been used to it. I knew it was just my sister coming in to make sure I hadn't vanished in the middle of the night.

"You need to relax. I already told you, I'm not going anywhere," I grumbled and sat up. "If I were going to leave, it'd be as silently as when I left Black Marsh."

"I came to tell you breakfast is almost ready," Keesara said with a frown. "It's been hours since sunrise. You didn't wake up when I checked on you earlier."

I stared at her blankly for a second. "Oh. Well, that's fantastic. I guess I'm just getting used to being able to sleep," my chuckle was cut off by a yawn I couldn't help but stretch my back and neck, eliciting a couple cracks and pops. It felt good to really rest. "I'll be down in a minute; I just have to get dressed. Is Lydia awake?"

"Yes. She seemed surprised you hadn't woken up yet when I had breakfast started," she commented on her way out.

I tossed my blanket off and got out of bed, distantly noting that I had neglected to put my newly-read spellbook away the night before. The boards under my feet were warm from the fire used to cook breakfast. I strolled over to the window and threw the shutters open. It was somewhat surprising to see the sun almost a third of the way to its zenith. I usually rose with it.

My tail cracked quietly when I stretched it on my way back to the bed. It had gotten bent under me somewhat in my sleep. The long appendage was very often a literal pain in the ass. I picked up the spellbook and flipped through it one last time. It had contained instructions on casting an ice spike spell. From the short amount I had practised with it I knew that it was a bit more magically taxing than the similar fire spell but it seemed to penetrate better.

The book dropped into its open drawer in the bedside table with a dull thud. I pulled my newly made hardened leather pants on and was thankful for the cotton lining keeping the backs of its rivets from my scales. I snatched up my vest and chain from their place on a chest at the foot of my bed. I marvelled at the weight of the mail shirt. It felt like only a fraction of what a steel set of similar chain would weigh. The ease of movement afforded by such light armour had inspired me to spend the extra money and fashion plate armour to wear over the chain, though that I left behind when I exited my room.

My steel plated boots echoed throughout the second floor on my way to the stairs. When I walked downstairs I was greeted with the smell of cooked pork fat and salt. "My Thane! It is unusual of you to sleep so late," Lydia remarked as I came into view of the table.

"I guess it is," I smiled at her. She was wearing plain civilian clothes, as she had been since our return to Whiterun. I made a mental note to ask her after breakfast if she intended to join me when I left. "Thanks for waking me up, Kees," I gave my sister's head an affectionate pat as I strode past her and lamented the lack of hair or feathers to ruffle.

"Stop calling me that," she gave me a mild glare as I sat down to my food.

I put on a thoughtful expression for a moment. "...Nah. I like bugging you too much," I shook my head. "I'm also a pretty big fan of being able to eat breakfast everyday, though, so thank you for that," I added with a wide grin and started into my food. The eggs and cured pork were a nice meal to wake up to. Nearly a week of living with my sister had a couple perks. Apparently she enjoyed cooking.

"At least you show _some_ level of gratitude, I guess," Keesara sighed dramatically and returned to her meal. I could see the faint touch of a smile she had been trying to hide pulling at her lips.

"You said you were planning on looking for work today, didn't you?" Lydia asked as we ate.

I downed a mouthful of water and nodded. "Yeah, I was going to see about talking to the Companions. I remember Aela extending something like an invitation when we met. I was going to ask you to join me."

To my surprise, Lydia shook her head. "I think I've had enough adventure with you to last me for a while, my Thane," she said with a smile. "I was going to return to guard duty to help pay for the debt and keep your home safe."

I did my best to hide my disappointment that I wouldn't be travelling with my housecarl for a bit but I understood. Getting thrown off a bridge by a dragon was bound to leave anyone a touch shaken. I was impressed by how well she had handled it.

"So what am I supposed to do while you gallivant around with a bunch of humans? Sit on my hands and wait for you to come home with me?" my sister frowned at me across the table.

"No, you're supposed to find a job and earn your keep for living under my roof," I smirked at her horrified expression. "Oh, don't give me that look. You said you've worked hard your whole life tending to the Hist. Maybe we'll find work for you as a gardener. Or a field hand."

"The temple of Kynareth may need help taking care of the Gildergreen," Lydia suggested. "The tree in the middle of town," she answered my curious look.

"I guess that's better than having to work on a farm," Keesara said begrudgingly.

"Except for all the humans around, it'll be just like back home," I assured her with a chuckle. "Anyways, I should probably get going before the sun sets on me," I stood from the table and headed to the door.

I had just stepped outside when Lydia's hand on my shoulder drew my attention. I turned to ask her what she wanted when she made it clear by pulling me down and pressing her lips to mine. It took a little less than a second for me to drop my hands to her waist and return the kiss. My sister was just inside but she was handily distracted with cleaning up after breakfast. "You're terribly cruel, you know that?" I chuckled when she pulled away.

"How could I possibly be cruel to you, my Prince?" she asked innocently, an amused smile playing on her lips.

I took another glance at the door to make sure Keesara wouldn't be appearing any second before slipping an arm around Lydia's back and ducking down to lock our lips in a hungry kiss. She let out a startled gasp followed by a pleased moan. I pressed her against the wall of the house and was thankful for the lack of people walking around nearby. I could feel as well as hear her fingers digging into the links of my chainmail as my tongue pushed its way into her mouth.

Days of sexual frustration brought on by my housecarl's constant teasing threatened to overwhelm my better judgement and I drew away from her before I got carried away. When I stepped back my hand dragged reluctantly off her hip. "You just have this habit of getting under my scales, I guess," I finally answered her question with a casual shrug.

She shot me a raised eyebrow and a subtle smirk. "If that is how you treat me when I get under your scales I don't see much reason why I should stop," she sounded terribly pleased.

I shook my head and started down the path towards Jorrvaskr. "I'm leaving before I'm arrested for public indecency," I announced. "If all goes well I may be back to whisk you off on another adventure."

"Good luck, my Prince. Try not to fall into anyone's bed on the way," she called back.

I spun to make some clever remark but was cut short by the door closing. I frowned and continued on my way. It wasn't my fault females kept approaching me. I was starting to think my fortunes with the women of Skyrim were proving detrimental. Lydia had been doing an admirable job of keeping me distracted whenever I wasn't working on equipment or buying supplies and my sister had kept me from spending any time alone with my housecarl. I just hoped she was feeling as frustrated as I was; I could at least feel a little vindicated in that.

I didn't run into anyone I knew on the way to Jorrvaskr and for that I was somewhat thankful. Despite my distraction with Lydia I was more interested in getting back to work than anything else. I was itching to get back out and find some trouble to get into.

When I reached the home of the Companions I found Aela outside speaking with someone I at first mistook for Farkas, the man I had met when I had first been to the mead hall. They looked nearly identical, the only marked difference being that this man's hair was only about half the length of the other's.

"Kailev-Tel? It's been a long time," Aela said with a smile as I approached. I noticed that she was without the painted marks on her face. I didn't mind the unobstructed view of her somewhat savage beauty.

"It certainly has been. I have to admit I'm kind of surprised you remember me," I returned her smile.

"You aren't a face someone's likely to forget," the woman remarked.

"I'll try to take that as a compliment," I deadpanned and extended my hand to the man. "Kailev-Tel, in case you hadn't already gathered."

He shook my hand with a firm grip. "Vilkas. I believe your name has come up at one time or another."

"Is that so? I can only hope it wasn't anything too awful," I chuckled.

"I'm sure it wasn't too disparaging," Aela assured me. "Was there something we could help you with?"

"I came to see about joining up, actually," I explained. "If you'd be willing to have me."

"We don't take on just any traveller who comes along," Vilkas interjected.

"I've seen him fight a giant and win. I'd like to see what Kodlak has to say about him," his compatriot defended.

The man gave me a light frown before relenting with a nod. "Fair enough. He would know better than I," he agreed.

Aela bade me to follow her and headed inside Jorrvaskr. Vilkas said something about training grounds and went elsewhere. The female Companion leading me gave me something of a brief tour as we went. The ground floor was mostly one big open space dominated in the centre by a huge fire pit surrounded by tables on three sides. The hall glowed with the light of the fire keeping the place warm. About half a dozen people were scattered around the tables, eating and conversing idly.

We went down a set of stairs at the southern end of the building into a basement. It was cooler than the main hall, but far from frigid. It seemed being underground kept the place at a fairly neutral temperature year-round. Across from the stair's entrance to the hallway I found us in was what Aela told me was a communal bedroom, like a barracks. I gathered that were I inducted into the Companions I'd be able to sleep there. I doubted I'd see much use of it, considering my home in Whiterun.

We walked to the far end of the hallway, to a small room that looked like something akin to a study. Farkas and another man I didn't recognize were talking about something, though I didn't catch any words when we entered. I presumed the second man to be Kodlak. "We'll speak of this another time, Farkas. For now it seems we have a guest to welcome," he said and stood from the table.

Despite his advanced age, it was obvious at once that this man was a fighter. His broad shoulders were kept rigidly square.

"Kodlak, this is Kailev-Tel. He wishes to join us and become a Companion," Aela introduced me.

His eyes flickered across me and I felt compelled to stand to my full height so I could hold his gaze. His lips twitched in a smile. "He certainly looks like he could fit the part," he chuckled. "I don't believe I've ever seen an Argonian ask to join us, though. What brings you here, lad?" he caught me a little off-guard with the word. I couldn't recall a time in my life someone had referred to me with "lad". It sounded oddly human.

"Truth be told, I've an itch for some adventure," I replied with an easy shrug. "That and I find myself in need of paying work and have heard it said that you supply that."

Kodlak's perceptive eyes bore into me for a moment before giving a short nod to the man beside him. "Farkas, I want you to take our potential recruit to the training grounds and test him."

"If that's your wish," the other man responded with a nod. I followed him out, leaving Aela to talk with Kodlak. "...Truth be told, it's strange to see an Argonian wish to join our ranks," Farkas spoke after a moment. "I've never even seen one besides you in Whiterun, actually."

I chuckled quietly and gave a lackadaisical shrug. "I hope I can live up to your expectations."

"Kodlak is a better judge of character than I am. If he approves of you, that's good enough for me," he said simply. That he could inspire such loyalty in his fellows instilled a desire to get to know Kodlak. He had reminded me somewhat of the uncle I was supposed to replace.

When we reached the training grounds I was given a blade and was reminded of the fact that I had left mine at my house. "I'll admit I wasn't expecting a fight to get in," I scratched my neck with an embarrassed laugh. "I suppose I haven't had enough trouble being accosted in the street to warrant carrying a sword all the time."

I hefted the sword in my hand, getting used to the weight. It was plain steel, kept relatively dull for the sake of training, I vaguely hoped. I didn't really want my first proper impression to the Companions to be killing one of their members.

"I'm hoping the fact that you aren't carrying a blade doesn't speak of your skill with one," Farkas smirked as he raised his sword.

I returned the equivalent to his smirk. "Did you ever think that maybe I don't carry a sword at all times because I don't need one?"

"That reminds me; no magic."

"You're no fun," I sighed and stepped forward to give a quick slash that the man easily blocked. I hadn't expected to gain much ground, but then I wasn't trying to kill the man. He twisted around my guard for a second but I just as simply turned my sword and stopped him short. My fist caught across his jaw and sent him stumbling.

Farkas shook his head, rubbed his jaw and smiled. "That was a good hit," he laughed.

"I strive to impress," I grinned. We were back at each other a moment later, our swords clashing together violently. The ringing of steel on steel soon drew a number of spectators as we fought. Every so often a spark would spit from the meeting of our blades.

The fight reminded me of my many duels in Black Marsh. I was bitterly amused that for all my training in proper swordplay it was useless on the roads of Tamriel. No bandit or mercenary was going to fight with a sabre in a controlled ring. Even here the sword wasn't designed for the required finesse.

A stiff blow to my stomach drew me from my thoughts and made me aware of the gauntlets I hadn't noticed before on my opponent's arm. He was in close enough for me to feed him a hard counter in his exposed ribs. We separated enough for me to take a swing with my sword. He deflected it but retreated nonetheless. "Alright, that's enough," he panted. I was similarly winded but my lips held a smile through my heavy breaths.

"So, do I get a pass?" I laughed and handed him my sword.

"That depends," he shrugged and stepped back.

"On what?"

"How well you do without a sword," I heard a voice beside me and stumbled from the force of a fist connecting with the side of my head.

I mentally applauded Vilkas for attacking me when I was unprepared, despite the ringing in my ears. I deflected his follow up punch off my shoulder and returned a similar jab that he caught against his forearm. My tail whipped into his open stomach and sent him staggering back with a rough exhalation. I took the opportunity while he was stunned to crack my forehead into the bridge of his nose.

His fist slammed into the bottom of my jaw at the same time. We staggered away from each other. We regarded each other for a moment while we rubbed our respective injuries. "I gotta be honest, I'm used to people being down by now," I chuckled.

"You're used to fighting weaklings?"

A smirk pulled at my lips. "I am. It's shocking how soft most of you humans are."

To my surprise, Vilkas seemed amused by my comment. "I have to admit, it's been a while since I've seen someone besides my brother hit as hard as you."

"I strive to impress," I said before we returned to our fight.

After several minutes of exchanging blows we began to gather a crowd. Cheers called out for Vilkas, and part of me wondered whether it was my race or my novelty that spurred them on. My experiences in Whiterun made me think it to be the latter.

The fight was fairly even, though it was obvious I was less injured by his strikes than he was by mine. "Enough," he called after recovering from what had to be the tenth blow I'd landed to his side with my tail. "That tail of yours is a nightmare," he shook his head and pressed a hand to his injured stomach.

"You think so?" I chuckled and curved the appendage around to my front. "I'm really quite fond of it. You've made it very sore, by the way."

"Not half as sore as it's made him, I'll wager," Farkas laughed as he strode over.

I saw Kodlak following behind him with an entertained smile. "That was quite the fight. It's been a long while since I saw someone give Vilkas such exercise. Consider yourself a member of the Companions." He turned and regarded the younger man beside him. "Farkas, why don't you take our new recruit on that job we were just discussing?"

"Aye, that sounds like a good test of his skills," Farkas nodded and beckoned me to follow him.

"Kodlak...can we speak again, in private?" I heard Vilkas ask of the older Companion as we left. We were out of earshot before I heard any more.

I didn't think anything of it. "So, what's the plan?" I asked the man leading me towards the gates. I noticed that he had geared up for something while I was fighting Vilkas. He wore simple but obviously effective steel plate mail and had a large greatsword slung over his shoulder.

"We're going to an old hole about half a day's travel northeast called Shimmermist Grotto. Apparently it's become infested with some Falmer so we get the wondrous job of clearing it out," he explained.

"And could you explain what Falmar are to the clueless foreigner?" I asked as we entered the market.

"They're like Cyrodiil's goblins, from what I've heard," he offered.

I raised my hand in something akin to a wave to Carlotta as I passed her stall. She gave me a smile and returned the wave. "That doesn't sound so bad. They're only really bad in groups, and even then they aren't too tough," I shrugged. "I'll take a pack of goblins over a troll or two any day."

"I wouldn't expect a nest of Falmer to be much trouble for us," Farkas agreed and I vaguely noted passing the trail to Ysolda's house as we exited the bustling marketplace. "Even still, it'll take a couple of us to do it and I'd like to see you in a real fight."

"I'll try not to disappoint," I said and shot him a smirk. "I'm going to need to grab my equipment from my house, though," I said as I headed towards the building we were passing by. "You can keep going, if you want. I can catch..."

I was cut off by my door opening before my hand could reach the handle. Lydia stood in the doorway, still clothed in her civilian attire. It struck me that I had completely forgotten she was technically my servant. "Company, my Thane?" she asked with a polite nod to Farkas.

"Unfortunately not. I was just stopping in..." I trailed off as she handed me my pack. My the hilt of my sword and my gauntlets stuck out from the top. "Ah, perfect. Oh, by the way, this is Farkas, from the Companions. Farkas, this is my housecarl, Lydia," I introduced them and set to set to equipping my plate armour. It was made from light steel and linking aureate chains of the same material as my mail shirt.

"You're a Thane?" the man beside me asked.

I looked up from tightening the leather straps at my side. "You didn't know I'm a Thane?" I stared blankly at him for a moment. "I guess that's what I get for never being around."

"You also weren't wearing your badge," Lydia remarked as she tied it around my arm while I was distracted.

"You know, you didn't have to put it on me. I could have done that myself," I frowned at the woman and pulled my gauntlets on.

She drew back and gave me a curt nod. "Forgive me, my Thane. I will be certain to keep my hands to myself from now on."

My frown dropped from my face. "I never said I wanted you to stop. Just pointing out that I'm capable," I shrugged. "Speaking of capable, you sure you don't want to come along?"

"It is my duty to keep your home safe in your absence. Besides, somebody has to make sure your sister does not bankrupt you."

"Glad I can count on you," I grinned and turned to Farkas. "Shall we?"

He led me out of the city and we struck out across the plain around the north end of the city. We chatted idly as we walked. I learned that he and his brother had been raised in the Companions by Kodlak for the majority of their lives. I explained my habits of random travel and mercenary work, though only vaguely. I skipped over the part about being Dragonborn.

The trip was relaxingly dull for the hours it took. I could see various animals such as deer and wolves across the open, slightly hilly field. They paid us no mind, content to let us carry on our business in peace so long as we extended the same courtesy. I expected a dragon to swoop down upon us at any given time and almost felt disappointed when we came into view of the cave without any such incident.

The first thing I noticed about the cave were the totems scattered around its entrance. Skulls and bones of assorted shapes and sizes hung from posts and even the rock of the hill the cave burrowed into. Upon closer inspection I noticed that most of the bones were humanoid ribs. "Ha. Human bones. How welcoming," I chuckled and flicked one of the sun-bleached ribs hanging by the entrance.

"It almost makes you think they don't want anyone coming to visit," Farkas returned my amusement. We made our way into the murky gloom of the cave. Just inside was a large pool of water with a stone bridge arching over it. To the side was a waterfall feeding the pool from some underground spring.

When the only illumination around us became the glowing mushrooms dotting the floor and walls my companion deemed it necessary to light a torch. "Won't that light draw attention?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Falmer are blind. They'll still be able to smell the fire, but since our job here is to kill all the vermin anyway, it shouldn't cause much trouble," he said as he lit a second torch to hand to me.

"Wouldn't want to be too sneaky with blind enemies. It'd probably take all the fun out of it," I shrugged as I took the burning stick.

The corridors of the cave were winding and ran deep into the ground. The numerous totems and partial skeletons we passed as we travelled reinforced our purpose. I was surprised at how many people had apparently died to these Falmer in such an out of the way place.

We finally came upon a pair standing by what looked like a hut made of some hard, ridged material. Their heads snapped into the air and when they turned I noticed in the flickering light of our torches that they wore helmets that covered them down to their noses. Their armour and weapons looked to be of the same material as the small building they were crouched in front of.

Farkas nodded to me to move up and deal with them alone. I grinned, handed him my torch and crept forwards with my hand on the hilt of my sword. They began to shuffle towards him, sniffing the air and making guttural noises somewhere growling and hissing. I held perfectly still as they walked past, not even daring to draw breath for several seconds. The instant they looked ready to charge at whatever it was they sensed my blade slipped from its sheath with a harsh whisper.

The first I slew with a clean slice across the back of its neck. Its head dropped like a stone and a gush of blood leapt from the various veins and arteries now open to the air. The other Falmer shrieked and spun towards me, swinging an axe that looked like some insect's claw strapped to a long, thick bone I guessed to be a femur. I hopped back to avoid the wild swing, then shot forward and sunk my blade into a gap in its makeshift armour. I twisted my sword and my body and threw the wretched thing to the dirt next to its fallen brethren. When it didn't immediately rise I felt it safe enough to sheathe my blade.

"That was quick. I'm impressed," Farkas complimented as he approached me with my torch held out.

I gave a careless shrug and took the torch. "These things aren't too bad. I've certainly fought worse," I said as we carried on. The small living space was scattered with remnants of what I assumed made up a Falmer's diet. There was odd, sickly looking fungus and scraps of insect among gnawed bones.

"They aren't too dangerous when you catch a couple of them off-guard," Farkas agreed. "When a farmstead has a whole tribe descend on them, though, the result isn't pretty."

"Which would be why we're clearing out the buggers. Gotcha," I nodded. I hadn't heard any news of an attack like that recently, but then I supposed my ears weren't turned to anything that didn't involve dragons or people I got into fights with. It occurred to me that I would make a terrible governor.

* * *

><p>It felt like hours later when we found a massive gateway made of some dull, off-gold colour. "I don't know who made this, but they had the same obsession with needlessly huge doors that your ancestors seem to have," I frowned and stepped forward to push one of said doors open. "Seriously, what needs to be big enough to walk through these?"<p>

The answer to my rhetorical question stood at the far end of a large room. A falmer wearing heavy, chitinous armour stood at a table scattered with various things I didn't immediately notice. Behind it was a giant golem wrought of the same material as the doors. The thing looked like it could take on a dragon and walk away without much trouble. "Holy shit!" I cursed aloud, which likely wasn't the brightest course of action.

Both the Falmer and the giant's attention snapped to us. The latter stood to its full height and stared us down with the stern frown making up its face. "Looks like that got their attention," Farkas chuckled as he walked up beside me.

"Why does everything in Skyrim want to kill me?" I shouted as the golem charged at us.

Farkas and I split apart and moved to opposite sides of the room. "Maybe it's just angry about your comments on its home," I heard him call with an amused tone. He seemed to be taking the literal killing machine and its blind, screeching master in stride. It made me confident I'd be happy in the Companions.

"You may have a point," I laughed as we circled the golem. I saw the Falmer readying a spell and moving towards Farkas. "I suppose if someone kicked in my door and started making fun of it, I'd be pretty pissed, too. Watch out for the little one, by the way!"

He didn't answer but I heard his angry shout as he engaged the Falmer on the other side of the giant currently stalking towards me. "Of course it picked me," I mumbled and drew my sword, not that I had much confidence it would be too effective. "How do I kill you, anyway?"

It didn't answer, not that I had expected it to. It looked much too disgruntled with my existence. I hopped out of the way of the massive hammer terminating its right arm. It bounced off the metallic floor and I was shocked that neither it nor the hammer were damaged. Whoever had built the place had known something of metallurgy. I fired a shot of flame from my empty palm and watched it burst harmlessly on the giant's shoulder.

I considered calling to Farkas, but I judged by the yells and cracks of lightning magic that he was occupied. Seeing little other immediate option, I decided to try my luck at actually engaging the beast.

"Wuld!" my Voice carried me to its flank. I spun around and slashed my sword across the back of its knee. The blade rung in my hands and nearly numbed them from the force of impacting on its thick armour but the gear I saw flying from the joint gave me some satisfaction.

The giant spun at the waist drove the axe making up its left arm into my ribs. I flew through the air as far as the wall where I impacted and dropped back to the ground. "Okay, that could've gone better," I wheezed and pressed a hand to my side. My armour was remarkably undamaged, unlike the bones beneath it. I didn't give what would've happened to me without it much thought. Its long strides carried it over to me before I could get back to my feet. I kicked off the wall and rolled under it, avoiding the crushing hammer hurtling into the spot I had occupied.

I looked up to see the golem's crotch directly above me. At the joint of its hip was a small gap in its armour that I hastily drove my sword into. Something grabbed the blade and tore it from my grasp. The sound of snapping metal and grinding gears sounded for a second before my sword exploded out the giant's side. A torrent of steam blasted from where my sword had driven into it and I raised my arms to keep the scalding vapour from burning my face. I rolled away as quickly as I could, shaking my scorched hands as I stood.

My eyes flicked over to Farkas, the dead Falmer at his feet. He looked uninjured. "That was pretty impressive," he chuckled and hefted his greatsword across his shoulder. "I've never seen someone kill a Centurion like that."

"I haven't met anything yet that deals well with a sword shoved in its groin," I shrugged and set to healing my scalded hands. "Think that's everything?"

"I hope so," he nodded. "We must have killed a dozen of those little bastards. Loreius will be happy to hear that they won't be troubling his farm."

I returned his nod and walked over to the fallen metal giant. The side of its chest was blown and bent open. I gripped the jagged metal edge, ignoring the way it bit into my scales as I pried the metal apart. "What are you doing?" Farkas asked as he approached.

"I was just curious," I grunted just before the metal plate snapped I stumbled back a couple paces and tossed the broken sheet aside. Inside the golem's chest was what looked like something from the room of one of my tutors. It was a gyroscope with a glowing orb in the centre and I guessed it to be the Centurion's power source. "I wanted to see how it worked. I've never seen something like this before," I clarified and inspected the shattered gears and pipes. It was an absolute mess, but it made pulling the strange device out a simple matter without anything holding it too firmly in place.

I tucked it into my pack and moved to inspect the Falmer's living space. "Find anything valuable?" Farkas called after me as he began heading towards a tunnel dug at the back of the room.

I found something akin to a chest made of the same chitinous black material of everything else the Falmer owned. I assumed it to be the carapace of the insects Farkas and I had run into earlier in the caves. Inside the box were the personal effects of a number of apparent victims of the tribe. I was unsurprised to find gold and various bits of jewellery among them, though I couldn't imagine what use all of it had to the Falmer. I supposed they simply liked to hoard things, similarly to Cyrodiil's goblin tribes.

"Here," I called. Farkas turned and I tossed a leather pouch I had filled with roughly half the loot to him.

"Thanks," he said and hefted the small bag. "I'm surprised they had so much."

"Same, but I'm not going to argue about it," I said as I jogged over to him. I noticed that the Falmer he had fought had a steel sword clutched in its dead grip. We made our way out of the caves. The tunnel at the back of the room led us back to the entrance of the cave, or at least to the small pool I had seen earlier. We had come out behind the waterfall and I pondered for the first time if the Falmer were the ones who had dug the place out.

We were faced with dusk when we exited the hole, the bright colours of sunset stretching across the hilly plain between us and Whiterun. We were also face-to-face with what I could only assume was a gang of bandits. "See? Told you I saw someone go down there," one of them remarked to the man at the front of the group.

"So you did. They look like they had a bit more success down there than Hjalmar and Ivar did, too," the man I presumed to be their chief gave us a quick once-over. "You're being robbed. If you hand over whatever valuables you've got without any fuss we might let you go quietly."

My eyes flicked between the gang. There were six of them, four males and two females. I counted two wielding swords, one with an axe and another with a mace. The latter two had shields. The chief had a greatsword across his shoulder to rival Farkas's. The last one was unarmed and unarmoured and I assumed her to be a mage.

"So, what's the plan?" I asked and turned to my companion. He responded by drawing his blade. "Yeah, that's what I was thinking, too," I nodded with a chuckle and returned to facing the bandits. My pack slipped off my shoulders and I knocked it away with my tail. I didn't want it close enough by to damage in the melee.

"That's a real shame," the chief sighed morosely. "Well, you heard the plan. Kill 'em!"

"Wuld!" my Voice cut in immediately and I skidded to a stop just behind the main group of three. Flames burst from my palms and crashed against a hastily erected ward conjured by the mage. The second it held out against the onslaught of my flames was enough for her allies to clear away, but the instant her shield fell my flames engulfed her. She held her arms up and stumbled back with a shriek of pain as her sleeves caught fire. I conjured a spell for a fire bolt to my hand and darted towards her. The spell fired the second before my fist impacted with her cheek. Ash and bits of bone leapt from the charred wound in her skull from the blow and I briefly lamented not noticing if she had been attractive before having half her head blown away.

A pained shout drew my attention to Farkas's fight. I saw his sword slam into the shield of the axe-wielding female and send her tumbling. The strength behind his blows was incredible. He handily defended himself against the two people attacking him, but I could tell he was hard-pressed to gain an edge in the fight. The other two joining in were likely to be too much for him on his own, but before I could lend him any aid I was handily distracted by a swinging greatsword.

I glanced back at Farkas and saw a sword catch him in the back. He spun and hacked down the attacker with a brutal downward slash to his collarbone. That, unfortunately, opened his guard to a blow from the one he had been previously engaging.

He fell with a pained bark and his sword slipped from his hand. I cursed and moved to aid him but felt it more compelling to deal with the bandit chief's greatsword bearing down on me. The blade dug into the ground my feet had occupied a moment before. I couldn't help but feel that I didn't have time to deal with him. A poorly-aimed spike of ice carved into the iron armour covering his shoulder. I grit my teeth at my unpractised aim and fired another that he deflected with his sword. A third in as many seconds carved into his wrist and he stumbled back from the weight of his sword falling.

"Wuld!" I Shouted the instant he was out of the way. He was crippled and could be dealt with later.

I pivoted on my heel to catch a sword slashing towards Farkas against my forearm. My armour dented and I was fairly sure my arm was broken, but the blade was stopped dead. I flicked my comrade's fallen greatsword with my tail into my outstretched palm and swung it with one arm to crash into my foe's side. The blade didn't cut deep but he was thrown back from the strike. I continued the swing to throw the long sword over my shoulder and stop another attack coming at my back.

Lightning flew from my palm and enveloped the head of the woman on the other end of the mace that was caught against Farkas's sword. She shrieked in pain and raised her shield to take the brunt of the blow, though that didn't fair well for the arm on the other side. The bandit darted away and I took the opportunity kick the greatsword up with my shoulder so I could grab the bound portion of the blade with my free hand.

I twisted to hack the sword into my third opponent's clavicle. His axe slammed into my stomach a moment before the blade hit. His armour, a set of rough, studded leather, didn't survive the force behind my swing as well as my steel plate and elven chain lasted against the blunt head of his axe.

I felt the greatsword bind in his ribs and spine and turned to regard Farkas. He was running a longsword through the woman I had shocked and I figured he had recovered. I released the greatsword's hilt to free my hands so I could charge a shot of flame between them. The fire bolt impacted in the first man's face and his skin, hair and flesh scorched away in an instant. A charred skull stood staring at me for a fraction of a second before the body collapsed.

A sharp grunt alerted me to the chief's oncoming blade. I was then entirely certain that at least one of the bones in my forearm was snapped. The thin steel plate across the back of my arm fractured in half and flew away from my gauntlet. My shoulder and neck were fairly sore from the attack as well. I was thankful for my elven chain stopping the dull steel blade, though I noticed a few rings soaring away from the shirt. It was a good thing I had manufactured spares.

I spun and slammed my palm into the bandit chief's face, pressing the centre against his eye so my fingers could lace into his dirty hair and get a strong grip. The stream of flames took just under two seconds to burn through his head and leap out the back of his skull. His brain was gone before he had the thought to scream.

"You alright?" I heard Farkas ask as he wrenched his sword from the corpse it was caught in.

"All things considered," I grunted and tore away what remained of my gauntlet. It hadn't lasted long but I felt it had done its job. I didn't know if my Histskin would regrow my limbs and didn't care to find out. I flexed my hand and winced at the throb of pain that raced through the limb. It was a shame that I had exhausted my magical reserves. There was no way I could conjure enough of a healing spell to even lessen the swelling. "How about you? The hit you took in the back looked pretty bad."

He shrugged and shook his head. "Not really. He just caught me in a bad spot and my sword slipped." His lips perked up in a smirk. "Good to see that you can use a real sword."

"I don't know that I've ever used a greatsword in a real fight before. I forgot how damn heavy they are when you're swinging them around," I rolled my strained shoulder. The pain in my possibly broken arm had reduced to a dull ache.

"It's a good thing you've got the strength to do it."

"I still don't think I'm as strong as you are. You were throwing them around with that thing," I gestured to the sword.

We started back towards Whiterun while Farkas's face split into a grin."My Shield-Brothers have always said that I've got the strength of Ysgramor, and my brother Vilkas has his smarts." I pondered on whether or not that was a backhanded compliment the whole way back.

* * *

><p>AN: I'm actually fairly happy with how most of this chapter turned out, even if I'm not so pleased about it taking a month to grind out. You all really must be more diligent in incessantly badgering me into action. After all, fan fiction authors are powered by feedback; that's just science. As always, tell me what you liked or didn't or whatever and I'll be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have.


	21. Chapter 21

The ringing of my hammer distantly rang in my ears while I pondered what it would be like to wipe sweat from my brow. Smithing a greatsword for myself had more than warmed me against Skyrim's chill air. I had been rather taken with wielding Farkas's and had decided on crafting one similar rather than replacing my longsword. The money made on the job had been more than enough to spare some for making it from the same alloy as my chainmail. The blade was proving to be quite light, for its size, though there was certainly more heft than I was used to.

I looked up from my work when the trudge of footsteps reached my ears. "Enjoying yourself?" Adrianne asked as she rounded the corner of her shop.

Her words made me aware of my smile. "I should hope so. This is infinitely less hazardous than what I usually do with my time," I laughed and returned to my sword. "This is a lot harder to work with than steel, I'll say that. It goes from solid to liquid in no time."

"Why do you think I don't work with it?" she chuckled. "I could never get the heat quite right. I'm quite impressed at how ably you've picked it up. You're a talented blacksmith."

"Thanks," I said earnestly. "You're still a lot better with steel than I am, though."

"I can't claim to be the best in town. Eorlund Grey-Mane has that title. The man's steel is legendary," she raised an eyebrow at me while she set to work. "Come to think of it, you're in the Companions now, aren't you? You're likely to meet him."

"I told you I joined the Companions?" I shot her a quizzical glance. I had been at her forge since my return my Shimmermist Grotto the day before but I couldn't recall telling the woman of my newest occupation.

Adrianne shook her head. "Word travels quickly," she explained.

"Faster than me, apparently," I shrugged. "I guess there are worse things for people to hear about me, though."

* * *

><p>The next day saw me in Kodlak's study, in the basement of Jorrvaskr. "Where did you learn to play chess?" the older man asked as he eliminated my second rook with his black bishop.<p>

I responded first by removing his piece with a knight he had apparently not taken notice of behind a line of pawns. "An uncle back in Black Marsh," I replied with a shrug and flicked my eyes across the new board state. "We used to play four or five times a week, actually. I don't rightly recall what our record was by the time I left, but I have a feeling that I was on the losing side."

"So far you're the toughest opponent I've had to face here," Kodlak chuckled and narrowed his eyes at the pieces before him. "You're quite fond of your knights, if a bit reckless."

I frowned when he claimed one of said pieces. "In my opinion, they're the most versatile pieces I have," I shrugged easily. A short exchange of pawns between us over the next few turns cleared the board somewhat, but I couldn't help but notice it left his side far more congested. "After all, their movement isn't stopped by any other pieces. They have excellent mobility, if you can figure out how to move them around. They also can't have an attack blocked," I demonstrated by sneaking my remaining knight behind his last rook. "Check."

His lips quirked in a small smile. "That's true," he nodded and moved his king back to a space inaccessible to my knight. I took the opportunity to slide a pawn further towards his back wall. The area of the board was uncontested and it only had one more move to make it.

"Farkas said you used some strange power at Shimmermist," he remarked casually as we shuffled our units around the board. "He said it sounded like you were Shouting."

"Shouting? How ridiculous. I'd have to be the Dragonborn or something to have a power like that," I scoffed.

"That would explain why a native of Black Marsh knows about Nord legend," he nodded and finally removed my back pawn. The bishop he used to do it also happened to now threaten my king. "Check."

I frowned at the board with the realization that I had lost in a maximum of four turns with the way he had pinned my king in. I sighed and shifted the piece back, anyway. "I'm really nothing too special, I assure you. Just a lizard that likes to get into trouble."

"Who also happens to be a legendary hero," he chuckled and we played out the game.

I shook my head. "I'm pretty sure I need to actually do something to be a hero. So far all I've done in Skyrim is random odd jobs as a mercenary."

"How old are you, Kailev-Tel?" Kodlak asked as he put away his chess set.

"Twenty-five years, born in Mid Year. Why do you ask?"

"I just wanted to show that you're still young. You have plenty of time to make a hero of yourself, yet. Tiber Septim didn't unite Tamriel by your age," he explained.

I couldn't help but grin. "I can't help but feel there are people who'd think it's nearly sacrilegious to compare an Argonian to Tiber Septim," I said as we stood and headed for the door of his study.

"Without a doubt, but not every Nord is Ulfric Stormcloak," he smiled in clear amusement.

"I've actually met the man twice," I felt at ease enough with Kodlak to tell him something of myself. "The first time we were both getting our heads chopped off by the Empire in Helgen when a dragon burned the place to the ground, and the second time he didn't remember me." I grabbed my sword on our way past and slung the strap over my shoulder. I didn't care much for having the monstrosity strapped to my back, though I did wonder how long it was going to take before the strap broke and I lost the sword. I knew it to be inevitable since I had specifically made it to be hard to break.

Kodlak's eyebrow quirked curiously at my admission. "What did you do to get executed?" he asked.

"I crossed the border at a bad time and the Empire doesn't like to sort their paperwork out," I shrugged. "I got caught in an ambush to capture Ulfric and the officer in command at Helgen was a bitch who didn't like Argonians or something. In any case a dragon showed up when they were about to give me a bad haircut and tore the place apart."

"Could it have been there for you, Dragonborn?"

This time it was my turn for a quirked eyebrow. "I never said I was the...Dragonborn," I replied casually, though I almost choked when I cut myself short of saying "Dovahkiin". I coughed, both to cover up the slip and due to my need to cough after the vocal hiccup. It was becoming troublesome to get my languages sorted.

"If you aren't the Dragonborn, then how do you explain what Farkas witnessed at Shimmermist Grotto?" he pressed.

I sighed and scratched the back of my head. "I never said I wasn't Dovahkiin, either," I shrugged again, reluctantly allowing the slip. "I'm just not much of a fan of people finding out about that. Although I'll admit that it was very satisfying to see Ulfric's face when he found out."

"I don't mean for it to seem like I'm pressuring you into telling me. I'm just curious about our newest recruit," Kodlak assured me. "Learning that you're the Dragonborn doesn't change the fact that you're still a whelp around here, boy."

I was extremely certain he was the first person in my life to ever refer to me as "boy". "I can take comfort in that," I nodded, satisfied with his response to learning of my status.

Aela descended the stairs from the main hall just as we passed the barracks. "I hope I'm not intruding Kodlak, but I have a job for Kailev-Tel," she said with a respectful bow of her head to the man.

"Not at all. We had just finished our game," he gestured to me. "It was good to have a match with you, Kailev-Tel. We'll have to have another sometime."

I agreed and left with Aela. "So what adventure do you have in store for me?" I asked with a chuckle as we ascended the stairs.

"A wolf has gotten trapped in someone's house and you get the glorious job of removing it," she answered with a smirk. "I know it isn't glamourous, but for now you're the whelp around here. Personally, I'd rather you didn't kill the beast, but I don't think you'll have much other way of getting it out."

"Yeah, killing a lost wolf does seem kinda petty," I frowned. "Though I have to wonder how in Oblivion the thing got stuck in someone's house in the first place."

* * *

><p>Following Aela's directions brought me to an increasingly familiar road away from the market. "You're in the Companions?" Ysolda laughed as I approached.<p>

"They're a good source of paying work, such as yourself," I returned the laugh. "So what's all this about a wolf?"

"I have no idea how it got into the city, but I had a window propped open while I was at the market. I'm guessing that it must have jumped in and knocked it closed," she explained.

I frowned at her door and wondered about how I should approach the situation. It took me a couple moments to recall my so-far unused Thu'um. I set my sword down against her wall and headed into the building, Ysolda's "Good luck," following me in.

The first thing I noticed beyond the mess made by the invading wolf was the large two-person seat that had replaced the chairs by the fire since the last time I had been there. It was upholstered by soft looking leather and I resisted the desire to touch it in lieu of following the growling of the trapped wolf.

It took a second to find it, as it was backed into a corner of her bedroom. Nothing looked terribly damaged, though I saw that it had torn her larder apart. Food and various dishes were scattered about her dining room. The beast snarled at me, its eyes wild and clearly fearful. I actually had to pity the animal; it was just lost and scared.

"Kaan," my Voice echoed, even in the small space of the house. The effect on the wolf was immediate. Its lips dropped from their previous snarl, and within moments it had cautiously walked over to me to sniff at my palm. I also noticed that I had a strange sense of every animal in the immediate vicinity. It was like I could hear their muted heartbeats all around me. "That Shout is a lot more useful than I gave it credit for," I chuckled and bent down to face the wolf. "You aren't so bad when you aren't terrified, I'll give you that. Come on; I'm getting paid to remove you and I'd rather do it peacefully."

When I picked it up, it merely regarded me with a few sniffs at my face. The look I got from Ysolda alone made the job worthwhile. "How did you...?" she seemed unable to even finish the question.

"Being the Dragonborn has its benefits," I laughed and started jogging towards the gate. I didn't know how long the wolf would stay docile, but I doubted the effect was indefinite. I was just passing my house when the animal began to grow ornery. "Kaan!" I Shouted again and the wolf settled once more. Doing it so soon after the last time made my throat burn. I noticed that the noise of the Thu'um combined with the sight of a grown Argonian carrying a wolf through the streets managed to attract a number of stares.

Regardless, I managed to make it to the gate and release the wolf without incident. It darted off, glad for another chance at freedom. I watched it run for a moment to make sure it wasn't interfered with and was pleased that no one thought to do so.

When I returned to Ysolda's I found she had gone inside. I thought of simply returning to the Companions to inform Aela of my success but decided it a better plan to check on the woman who had hired us. Besides, I also thought, she had taken my sword inside with her.

I walked inside and found her understandably tidying the place. I set to work helping her, though the effort may have been wasted by my lack of knowing where anything went. She nonetheless seemed grateful for the help, at least. "Thank you for the help, Kailev-Tel," she said as we cleaned.

"Always happy to lend a hand," I replied easily. "Whether it's collecting mammoth tusks, removing wolves or cleaning your house, apparently."

"I'll have to repay your kindness, somehow," she remarked offhandedly, though I caught a clever smile playing about her lips. "I don't suppose I could entice you joining me for dinner again, could I?"

"You certainly could. It's beyond my ability to refuse a free meal, and my sister and housecarl won't be expecting me back tonight," I said and shot her a grin. "I'll just have to report my success to the Companions once we're done cleaning your place up and then I can help you get prepared."

Ysolda nodded and returned my smile. "You could certainly use the practice. Being the Dragonborn may let you tame wild animals but it doesn't seem to have gifted you with much ability to cook."

I tried to frown but found it rather difficult in the woman's presence. "In my defence, cooking isn't a skill that's likely to help me in a fight against a dragon or troll or whatever other creature happens to find me undesirable. Besides, you've never even had my cooking. I'll have you know I can cook very functionally."

She laughed aloud at that and I couldn't help but smile in response. It was almost shocking how at ease I felt with Ysolda. It was nice to be around a civilian for a change of pace. We finished cleaning and I quickly left to return to Jorrvaskr, Ysolda informing me on the way out that she would get supper started.

I looked at the sky outside to find it was late afternoon. The days were beginning to noticeably shorten as they made their way into Evening Star. The air was chilly and to the far east I could see thick, dark clouds. It occurred to me that it would likely start snowing soon, a prospect I was less than pleased about.

As I made my way through the market the thought of cold reminded me that I had yet to accomplish the task given to me by the Greybeards. I hadn't even bothered learning where Ustengrav was. I distantly hoped that it wasn't an urgent matter, as I had little intention of dealing with it any time soon. Doing what I was told was never something I was very good at.

Aela regarded me with an amused smirk as I approached. "When I said I'd rather you didn't kill the wolf, I didn't think you'd actually pick the thing up and carry it out of town. Or that it would let you, for that matter."

"It would seem news travels faster than I do," I sighed and shook my head to suppress my own smirk.

"About as fast and far as your Voice," she nodded. "For someone who's apparently been reluctant to tell anyone he's the Dragonborn, you're quite obvious about it."

I shrugged. "It couldn't be helped. I didn't want that wolf to eat my face. It's one of my most charming features."

"You'd certainly be lacking without it," she agreed with a chuckle. "In any case, here's your pay for the job." She untied a coin pouch from her belt and handed it to me. It didn't feel like much more than a hundred septims, but money was money.

"Glad to be of service. Think you'll have anything else for me tomorrow?"

Aela nodded. "Considering how well word about you has spread around here, you should try talking to Skjor. I think he was asking after you earlier," she explained. I thanked her for the information and left.

I briefly pondered on what Skjor might want with me. I hadn't actually gotten beyond simple introductions with the man, so I didn't really know anything about him. I was hastily distracted when I returned to Ysolda's home.

I walked inside to find her dressing a pair of pheasants for dinner. I hung my vest and chain on the hilt of my sword, propped against the wall. A number of potatoes were set aside with a knife that I presumed was for me to start on.

"Can you skin those potatoes and chop them into thin slices for me?" she asked as I entered.

I nodded and set to work. The thickened scales at the edges of my thumbs made it easier to skin the potatoes with the small knife I had been given. Even so, I managed to slip on one and slice the pad of my thumb open. I hissed sharply in surprise and pain and inspected the thin cut.

"Are you okay?" Ysolda asked. Her concern surprised me, but then I also thought she may not have a full appreciation for what I put myself through on a frequent basis.

"Yeah, it's nothing. I do know a bit of magic, remember," I chuckled and flashed a quick healing spell to seal the wound shut. "You still have to be careful, though. I don't know how to heal other people."

We lapsed into silence for a few minutes while I cut the potatoes and she finished dressing the birds. "Can you tell me about your travels?" Ysolda asked as she put the birds inside a wood stove at the back corner of the house I hadn't noticed before. Apparently I was terribly unobservant, to have missed it for so long.

"I guess, if you really want to know," I shrugged and tossed the sliced potatoes into a provided pan. They splashed into the milk at the bottom. "I went to Ivarstead, climbed the mountain and talked to some wiseguys." I chuckled at Ysolda's eyeroll while I passed her the pan. She laid slices of cheese over the potatoes and slid the pan in with the pheasants.

At her further insistence I told her about Ivarstead, Riften and Windhelm. I even touched on Mistwatch, though uncertainty towards her reaction to the events with Fjola kept me vague on details. When she asked about how I knew Ulfric Stormcloak I had to explain about Helgen.

"It seems a little heavy-handed to execute you for border crossing," Ysolda frowned as I related the tale.

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too. The Imperial captain at Helgen didn't seem too pleased with my pointing that out," I nodded. "I was actually put on the block immediately after remarking on it, come to think of it. I think the captain might have taken offence to something I said to her. It's a good thing a dragon showed up and burned the town to the ground. For me, anyway."

"I heard a lot of the townspeople made it out. The dragon stayed mostly around the centre of town."

"Probably because that's where I was. I'm pretty sure it showed up there for me," I said and looked to the western window to see what time of day it had gotten to. The sun's last rays before evening shone over the wall around the city. "Being the Dragonborn kind of has that hazard. I actually had to fight a couple dragons during my travels. I don't think I have the option of keeping it a secret from them."

"That certainly sounds inconvenient," Ysolda's voice betrayed her amusement.

"To put it lightly," I sighed, but couldn't suppress my smirk. After all my talking the food was done cooking. We each grabbed some cloths to take the food from the oven. "Smells good," I said appreciatively as we dished the food out.

"It does," my hostess agreed and fetched us a bottle of wine.

We didn't speak while we ate. It was more comfortable to sit in the companionable silence of each other's company. The only words exchanged were offers for either more food or wine. I retrieved our second bottle of the latter when we inevitably ran out. The pheasant was a nice change of pace from the fish and red meat I was used to eating and I had never before eaten something like the scalloped potatoes, even in Black Marsh. Swampland didn't lend to growing potatoes.

After eating we found ourselves sitting languidly together on her fireside seat, a third bottle of wine between our feet. We had shut the windows and set a fire going to keep the place warm overnight. "What's fighting a dragon like?" she asked at length with a mildly inebriated giggle that she followed with a swig of her wine.

I unconsciously repeated the action and drained my cup. "It's pretty damn exciting, I have to admit. I'm glad I've always had help," I grinned at her while I leaned down to refill my wine. I found the bottle half empty. It was surprising how quickly the sweet drink was disappearing. "I honestly don't know how well I'd do against one alone."

"You must be quite the warrior, but I guess that's becoming of the Dragonborn," she returned my smile.

"Most of the world trying to kill me on a daily basis has helped me toughen up, I suppose," I laughed easily.

Her eyes tracing along my body made me shift somewhat uncomfortably. I wondered if I'd ever get used to friendly human scrutiny. "How did you get these scars?" Ysolda asked suddenly, indicating the trio of slashes down the left side of my face with a wave of her half-full cup of wine. The action still spilled some of the wine. The dark red liquid splashed across my left shoulder and soaked into my cloth shirt. "Oh dear! I'm sorry," my hostess rushed out and looked around for something to clean the mess with.

"My clothing gets treated worse than this on most days, believe me," I waved off her concern and tried to ignore the uncomfortable trickle of wine down my left arm.

She frowned at the red blotch soaking into my shirt. "Still, that can't be comfortable," her eyes lit up as an idea apparently overtook her. The next thing I knew she was straddling my waist and her hands were pulling my shirt up my torso. It seemed I was a bit more drunk than I had given myself credit for, as was Ysolda considering her rather impulsive behaviour.

I decided that drunk or no, she had a good idea. I really wasn't too fond of the wet material pressing into my shoulder. My shirt collar got caught on a horn when Ysolda tried to slip it over my head. She tried to carefully unhook it from the bony spike, but when that took too long I made the decision to damn the stained shirt and simply tore it loose.

The second the shirt was off Ysolda's lips were pressed to mine in a searing kiss. My hands darted to where her dress had bunched up around her knees and slid up the smooth skin of her legs, gliding over her thighs on their way to her waist. My eyebrows twitched when I found nothing but bare skin beneath her dress. As much as I may have wanted to comment on her lack of undergarments, my tongue was far too busy tangling with hers.

I tried to keep my short, blunt claws from biting into her skin when my fingers dug into her supple flesh. My thumb made its way to her moist folds to play with her clitoris of its own accord. She made some effort to hide her pants and moans by pressing a trail of wet, hot kisses down my scarred cheek and neck to my shoulder.

"This is new..." she whispered hoarsely. A quiet hiss escaped my lips when she dragged her tongue across the scar I had inherited at Mistwatch. The scales there were sticky with wine that she seemed rather eager to lap up.

"You're keeping track?" I chuckled. My palms slid up her sides and I became irritated with the dress keeping my hands from moving freely.

Her teeth nipped lightly at my collarbone. "Of course. I love your scars," her words were emphasized by her lips darting from mark to mark. She kissed and licked at scars I had long forgotten about around my chest and shoulders while my hands took to busying themselves with the ties to her dress.

When the strings came apart enough for the dress to be removed Ysolda slipped from my lap, leaving me with an empty dress in my hands and a naked woman standing before me. I barely noticed the backdrop of the fire behind her. "I think something's backwards," I remarked with a frown and held the dress up to demonstrate. "That was suppose to work the other way around."

She didn't answer. She just flashed me a gorgeous smile and escaped to the darkness of her bedroom. I stared stupidly at the doorway for a couple seconds before my alcohol-clouded brain clued in and I jumped to my feet to pursue her. I snatched up a candle and lit it on the way before hastily fumbling with the cursed straps and buckles holding my pants on.

A sock landed on my snout when I entered the room. It clung for an instant before dropping anticlimactically to the ground. I guessed Ysolda to be amused by her laugh. I shook my head but couldn't help but laugh quietly.

I set the candle down on her bedside table as I made my way to the lovely woman lying before me. My tail flicked my pants away once I had gotten them shucked off my legs. Our lips met as I lowered myself to join Ysolda on the bed. Her smooth skin sliding against my rougher scales enticed me to further explore her body.

I repeated her earlier actions, kissing and nipping my way to her neck. She made a sharp gasp in my ear when my teeth gently scraped across an artery. My tongue slithered across the reddened skin and her next breath came out in a pleased whimper. One of my hands lifted her breast to my waiting mouth while the other slid down her side to grip her waist. Her soft moans filled the room while I sucked and licked at her hardening nipple. When I felt the other was being sorely neglected I happily switched, eager to bring it to stiff attention like its twin.

"Kai..." Ysolda moaned as I began kissing my way down her flat stomach. My hands drifted down her body to rest at her knees so I could ease her legs apart.

"Hm?" I hummed in response. Her words were cut off by my tongue flicking once against her hardening clitoris. I could feel the tension in her body while she waited for me to continue. It released at once when I began pressing kisses down the inside of her thigh and she fell back to the bed.

"I thought women were supposed to be the teases," she groaned.

I chuckled and rose to my knees, lifting her leg with me so I could continue kissing and licking her skin. "I'm very equal opportunity," I smiled down at her and slowly dragged my hand up her other leg. A shiver passed through Ysolda's body when my fingers began to idly play with her dripping sex. My fingers dipped briefly into her folds and I allowed myself a quiet groan at the feel of her. One digit pushed in to the knuckle and elicited a short scream from the woman below me.

She made a disappointed whine when my finger withdrew. I pressed my smiling lips to her calf before dropping her leg back to the bed. I glided my palm back up her leg to gently massage her thigh. It struck me as odd, how much pleasure I derived from just touching her.

"You're beautiful," I muttered without really intending to. It was undeniably true. I could think of no other way to describe the woman before me, panting and glistening with sweat while my thumb toyed idly with the hard nub of her clitoris. The feel of her skin and flesh beneath my hands was delightful. The moisture surrounding her nether lips was spread by my playing fingers. A dull claw dragged lightly along the outer edge of her labia and the contrast of her white and pink flesh against my grey and black scales was striking.

Even in the firelight, her glowing blush was evident. She held my gaze, though her eyes were half-closed and clouded with lust. "You're quite the looker, yourself," she remarked with a smile.

I ignored the impulse to look away in embarrassment. "I guess I should be thankful you think scarred up lizards are so fetching," I chuckled awkwardly instead and ducked back down, both to finally give my gracious hostess what I had been withholding and to partially escape her piercing stare.

She seemed caught off guard when my tongue darted inside her enticing pussy. She jumped and her hands clamped down on the back of my head in a sudden effort to hold me in place. My long tongue twisted and writhed inside the delectable heat. Her scent and taste were nearly as intoxicating as our wine. Her loud moans turned into a veritable shriek as I withdrew my tongue to glide the length of it across her shining clitoris.

The invasion of a pair of my fingers drew an uncharacteristic curse from her mouth. "Shit, shit..." she repeated with each push of my hand and lash of my tongue. "Kai, please..." she muttered breathlessly.

I turned my gaze up to find her gazing down at me with a shocking look of affection in her eyes. When our stare met her mouth opened to speak but whatever she intended to say was lost in the moans and cries accompanying her orgasm. I didn't ponder on it; I merely redoubled my efforts to drag out her pleasure.

She eventually collapsed onto the bed, heaving and shaking in her afterglow. "Have I improved?" I chuckled and lapped up the juices running down her quivering flesh. She hummed something that sounded positive.

The salty taste of sweat on Ysolda's skin mixed with the vaguely musky flavour of her essence when I licked and kissed my way back up her body. She captured my lips with hers the moment they were in reach and wrapped her legs around my waist to hold me in place. I let my weight settle on her and press her into the bed for the sake of feeling her hot skin against as much of my body as possible while we kissed.

I inhaled sharply through my nose when her hand gripped my member. She gave it a few soft strokes before guiding it to her entrance. We both groaned into our kiss when she dragged the head of my cock up and down her dampened sex. My eagerness got the better of me within seconds and I couldn't keep myself from pushing into her. Her lips broke away from mine in another gasp and I took the opportunity to catch my breath. She felt just as hot and tight as I could remember. I started slowly, wanting to simply bask in the pleasurable feel of her body more than pursue any end.

As wonderful as Ysolda's skin felt against my scales I rose back to my knees, both to make moving easier and so I could observe her. Her eyes were shut and her chest heaved with her pants each time I slid back inside her gripping heat. It wasn't long before her moans began to again mix with her breathing. Her breasts jumped with every buck of my hips, inspiring me to pick up my pace. My fingers dug into her hips and I drove in again and again with reckless abandon. I was heavily conflicted between staring at her bouncing tits and her beautiful face and vaguely lamented not being able to control my eyes independently, as some creatures of Black Marsh could. I supposed that I could at least take comfort in the thought that I was more attractive than a chameleon.

I dragged a hand up her side to her chest to paw at the bouncing globes there. The blunt tip of my claw scraped across the bottom of Ysolda's puffy pink nipple and I felt the muscles of her vagina tighten in response. The unexpected pressure brought my climax shockingly close and I pondered how I had lost such restraint in the relatively short time since my romp in the woods with Lydia before our return to Whiterun.

Pure desire for relief won out over pride and I made little effort to hold off my release. My hand at her hip slipped to our joined sexes so my thumb could draw hard circles around her clitoris in an attempt to bring about her second orgasm. She jumped when my thumb touched her and her harsh moans in my ear made me confident my plan was working.

My hand rose from her tit to grip her shoulder so I could drive into her with all the force I could muster. I groaned at the feeling of my impending climax. "_Ilsaa_, I'm close," I muttered between pants.

"Me, too," she whispered back. Her eyes cracked open and turned to face me. For the first time I noticed her hands gripping my arms. "Please, please..."

I pushed as deep into her as I could when my orgasm hit me. The moment after my seed began to pulse into her body the walls of her vagina clenched around my manhood in delicious heat. I felt my own fluids mixed with hers run between our bodies to soak into her sheets when she pulled me down to kiss me. Our lips melded, though we were too lost in the throes of our pleasure to think to do much more.

As our lips, our bodies pressed tightly together when we both returned to Nirn. My softening member slipped from her body with another outpouring of fluid. Ysolda broke away from me with a gasp. "Oh, shit," she moaned.

"You okay?" I asked half-jokingly. I couldn't tell if the curse was in pleasure or discomfort but when I noticed her grinding her thighs together I guessed it to be the former.

She nodded and returned her lips to mine. I settled down onto the bed next to her while we kissed. "I missed you..." she mumbled in between pecks.

Her words caught me a little unawares but I made sure not to show it. "Same," I muttered back and realized it was true. "...Sorry I'm such a whore," I continued with a slightly embarrassed chuckle.

Ysolda broke away again, this time with a laugh. "Kai, I'm not so petty that I'm not willing to share the _Dragonborn_, and I can hardly blame another woman for seeing what I do in you," she said sweetly. I felt like if my scales allowed it I'd likely be bearing a bright blush and I wondered not for the first time if the red streaks across my face were glowing.

"Thanks, I guess," I shrugged awkwardly. "In my defence, I'm still genuinely shocked that I've attracted even one human. It wasn't a common thing before coming to Skyrim. It must be something in the water here."

Ysolda held her smile while she lay back on the bed. I shifted and felt a lukewarm stickiness on my thigh and realized something would soon have to be done about our mess. For the time being, though, I was far too preoccupied with my lovely partner's lips. After all, the night was still quite young, and I had a few weeks of separation to make up to her.

* * *

><p>"So other than being a nifty axe, what's so special about this Wuuthrad?" I asked Farkas as we made our way across the plains towards Dustman's Cairn. Apparently we were to retrieve the shard of some really old and really important axe. Personally, I thought it sounded like humans putting too much stock into their relics, but a job was a job.<p>

"Ysgramor was the one who founded the Companions, and Wuuthrad was his weapon," he explained with the expected reverence in his voice. I supposed it was good to believe in _something_. "He came from the ancient homeland and used his axe to kill all the elves. Except he didn't get quite all of them, since some of them are still here." Even if that something was a little genocidal, I thought with a frown.

"You humans really take your artifacts and old weapons pretty seriously," I remarked.

"You don't care about your history?" he asked curiously.

I shook my head, which caused some of my spines to rattle against the hilt of my sword. The weight of its strap on my shoulder had proven an odd thing to get used to, even mitigated as it was by my armour. "Not terribly, no. History's good to learn from, but there isn't much benefit to clinging to it, y'know? I care a lot more about what's going to happen today than I do about what happened yesterday."

He nodded in response. "I think I know what you mean, but we're working on rebuilding Wuuthrad. Kodlak once told me that if we got all the fragments of Wuuthrad back together a skilled enough smith could probably reforge it."

"And you've got Eorlund Grey-Mane," I nodded back while we descended the stairs into the barrow of Dustman's Cairn. "I guess an old artifact can't be entirely useless if it can still chop stuff up. At the very least, I'm sure it could make a decent axe for firewood or something."

The comment was received with an amused laugh. "I don't know how happy Kodlak would be to see Wuuthrad used for chopping firewood, but his expression might just be worth it."

Our pleasant exchange halted when we entered the barrow and found we weren't the first ones to investigate it. A small camp had been set up inside the entrance and mining tools were scattered about. "Looks like someone beat us here," Farkas said as we looked around the camp.

"Anyone else you can think of that might be after this axe?" I asked while I inspected some of the tools laid out on a central table.

"Maybe," he said with a thoughtful expression that looked odd on his face. "We'd best tread lightly. Keep your wits about you."

"I wouldn't be much without them," I shrugged and set to pilfering through a chest of gold supplies. I noticed a great deal of silver among the effects.

Further in we found draugr predictably unhappy with our presence. I disliked fighting the undead constructs. There was no satisfaction of cutting through flesh and sinew and their dried bones and hard armour were unkind to the edge of my sword. It was more fun to smash through them with a greatsword than it had been to hack at them with my previous blades, though, even if it was a bit harder to swing the thing around in the cramped tunnels. Being able to observe Farkas and copy his movements helped.

When we came upon thick, heavy spiderwebs I saw my Shield-Brother shudder slightly. "Ugh. I hate spiders," he muttered.

"Then never visit Black Marsh. Gloom widows and harvestmen are a lot creepier than frostbites," I chuckled.

To my slight disappointment, there weren't any such creatures to be fought in the room we found. It looked like another camp, set up in what was once a tomb. "Imagine what your ancestors could have done if they'd put half as much effort into their buildings as they did their holes," I said and looked to the ceiling of the massive cave. A shaft of light from above streamed in and I wondered if the hole was natural or man-made.

"Vignar told me that all these old tombs had people living in them at some point, like underground towns, and that's where the draugr came from," Farkas explained. "He said that might just be a legend, though. I don't know for sure and I've never much cared. I just know that when one of them gets up you have to knock it back down."

"Glad we share that sentiment," I shot him a grin. A quick inspection of the space produced little of interest and the exit was gated shut. When I found a lever inside a small room I assumed it worked the gate and threw it without thinking about what else it might do.

The sound of the exit opening was complimented by the sound of a gate closing behind me. I turned towards the iron bars and frowned. "...I'm really bad at this sometimes," I grumbled and tried to flip the switch back only to find it jammed. "Hey, Farkas! I want it known that I hate your ancestors' needless fascination with traps!"

My call was returned with a laugh. "Hold on. I'll see if I can find a way to get that gate open," his voice sounded far too entertained.

Before he could act on his intentions, however, a group of five humans rushed in to corner him against the gate. I judged them to be enemies by their drawn weapons. "We have a bad habit of running into assholes," my frown deepened.

"Looks like we were right to expect you to come here, dog," one of them taunted my comrade.

"Time to die, Companion!" another added.

"Which one is it?"

"It doesn't matter. If he wears that armour, he dies."

"Killing you two will make for a good story."

Farkas stuck his sword into the ground and unlatched his armour. I marvelled at how simply it released and made a mental note to ask how it did so. Considering how often I wanted to get out of mine quickly it seemed invaluable information. "None of you will be alive to tell it," he growled and flexed his shoulders.

The crackling sound of shifting bone echoed off the stone walls surrounding us for a few seconds while my companion grew into a beast I recognized by description as a werewolf. I seemed momentarily forgotten while the humans before him stepped back and readied their weapons. I took the opportunity to conjure an ice spell to each of my palms. I stuck my hands through the bars before me and fired a twin pair of spikes not unlike oversized icicles. One caught a female in the throat while the other went wide and carved a vicious gash in one of the male's cheeks.

Any further efforts in my part proved unnecessary when Farkas set upon his foes. Long claws powered by thick, heavy arms tore through armour and flesh alike. Two were dead before they had a chance to attack. The last managed to catch his arm with a slash but it did little to stop the werewolf's powerful jaws from crushing her throat.

Farkas shot a glance my way before stalking off somewhere out of sight. A moment later the gate holding me lifted and he returned, once again an ordinary – if half-naked – human. His lips were curled in a smirk. "Hope I didn't scare you," he chuckled and retrieved his equipment.

I shrugged and returned his laugh. "If I was in their position, I might be a little worried. So long as you aren't chewing on me, though, I'm not too concerned. I've definitely run into stranger shit in my liftime." I stooped to inspect the bodies to see if they were carrying anything that could help me relieve my debt faster while Farkas redressed. To my delighted surprise they all possessed some amount of silver jewellery. Their weapons were also edged with silver and I could only assume it was designed to be effective against werewolves. Regardless, it encouraged me to grab a could of the lighter swords. At the least I could probably melt it down for reuse. "So is everyone in the Companions a werewolf?"

"No, only the members of the Circle have the beastblood."

I wasn't entirely certain who that involved but I knew it excluded me so I didn't think too hard on it. "Is that why those assholes were here to kill you?" I asked as we left the room.

Farkas nodded. "They looked like members of the Silver Hand. They're werewolf hunters who found out about our secret. It's actually fairly strange for you to find out," he said.

We rounded a corner and almost stumbled on another pair of hunters. "Shit! Did they kill the others?" one of them, a female with a shield on one arm and a mace at her hip, barked to her compatriot.

He didn't answer, instead opting to draw his swords. The silver edges flickered brightly in the firelight of the torches lining the hallway. Farkas and I each unsheathed our own weapons to meet the coming charge. I was somewhat grateful that the male chose me to fight, as it had been a very long time since I had lost fought someone wielding two swords and my own experiences with dual-wielding helped me predict his attacks.

My lack of experience with a two-handed weapon seemed to mitigate the advantage, though. My parries and counters were sluggish with the heavy weapon, leaving my gauntlets with a few nicks and scratches when I had to block with those. The soft silver edging my enemy's swords may have been effective against a werewolf's hide, but there wasn't much it could do against my armour. When my greatsword finally found purchase in the Silver Hand's side it carved a bloody furrow through his iron plate. He stumbled back from the force of the blow and gave me room enough to get a proper swing into his clavicle. My blade deflected through his armour and exited through his armpit. His shriek of pain drowned out the sound of his arm hitting the ground. I noticed he was already falling towards the stone floor when my sword liberated his head from his shoulders.

Farkas's chuckle caught my attention. "You're a little clumsy with that thing," he gestured to my sword.

"Yeah, a little," I conceded. "I just need to get used to it. I still don't quite know what I'm doing with a weapon this size." His grin made me aware of the potential innuendo and I wanted to smack myself for not catching it first.

We continued travelling deeper into the barrow, fighting through what felt like scores of Silver Hand and draugr. When we ran into a nest of frostbite spiders I learned just how much Farkas hated the things. His first response was a decidedly unmanly scream followed by the most furious attack I had seen him commit. The giant spider was cut to pieces in moments and I was left staring at my panicked Companion.

"You okay?" I asked, doing my best not to laugh.

"Gods, I hate those things," he shuddered again and seemed unwilling to sheathe his sword while it was covered in their ichor.

"Yeah? Frostbites really aren't so bad, though I'll admit they're a lot uglier than a pale recluse."

"How many spiders do you have in Black Marsh?" Farkas did little to hide his disgust at the prospect.

"Good question. If I had to guess, I'd say there are about five or six different species of giant spiders back home. Most of them aren't terribly aggressive, at least."

He gave another shudder nonetheless. "Remind me to never go there. The last thing I need is to know how small a frostbite spider really is."

Our chatting continued through the rest of the caves and tunnels until we came upon the large tomb that Wuuthrad's fragments apparently resided in. Familiar whispers reached my ears from the far end of the tomb. I smiled at the sight of the engraved wall behind the central sarcophagus. Immediately before it was a large stone table bearing the shards of Wuuthrad we had been sent to retrieve. Farkas made for them while I walked right past, beckoned to the glowing symbols adorning the large wall. My hand traced over the glyphs unconsciously before their light jumped out and poured into my being. The formless knowledge contained in the soul of the dragon I had killed at Windhelm latched onto the word, giving it meaning and purpose.

My grin at learning how to breath fire nearly split my face. "What was that?" the Nord behind me asked curiously.

I turned to face him and shrugged. "It's a Dragonborn thing," I answered. My explanation of exactly what that pertained to was cut of by the sound of coffin lids hitting the ground all around the tomb. I glanced around to see what looked to be a dozen draugr crawling out of their coffins. "...I'm bad luck, aren't I?" I frowned at Farkas.

"That depends on how you look at it," he laughed and drew his sword. "Other than those damn spiders, I can't say I mind how much trouble seems to follow you around."

The battle that followed likely would have been bloody, had the draugr possessed any. Farkas and I dove in with reckless abandon, our greatswords sweeping through ancient bone and metal. I continued to indirectly learn from Farkas, though more than once I was caught with a blow while paying too much attention to his fights.

I eventually found myself with my back to a wall and three walking corpses before me. My ally was too engaged with his own battle to lend me aid and my arms were beginning to grow incredibly tired from swinging my great weapon around all day. "Bow before the dead and beg for mercy!" one of them growled in dragon tongue.

I responded in the same language, though with only a single word. "Yol!" I Shouted. Fire burst from my mouth and swept across two of the three before me. What little tissue holding their bones together turned to ash in an instant, which was useful as I could only hold the flaming breath for a couple seconds. The last draugr's axe would have caught me in the neck had I not raised my arm to block it. My shredded gauntlet did little to stop the centuries-old blade, though it was dull enough that it bruised more than cut.

I kicked the creature in the stomach and sent it tumbling back so I could let loose a series of firebolts into its prostrate form. I saw the last draugr fall to Farkas's sword and finally let loose a relieved sigh. "That was a lot of trouble for a few bits of metal," I frowned and tore what remained of my right gauntlet away. It was becoming an unfortunately familiar post-mission ritual.

"What are you whining about?" Farkas called from the far side of the room.

"Oh, nothing important. I'm just looking forward to getting out of this dank hole," I called back and retrieved my scabbard. I was quite delighted with its survival of its first trip with me. If all I lost each trip was a gauntlet I considered myself quite fortunate.

* * *

><p>AN: You know what I really miss? The days when I could actually write. Taking so goddamn long to get this shit done wouldn't be so irritating if it was something I considered worthwhile. The best I can promise is that this story will continue to be updated, even if it takes a month or two to do it. I just have to hope that I can get back into the groove in a timely fashion. Perhaps I need to take a note from Stella and bang a Jamaican dude or something.


	22. Chapter 22

Farkas and I returned a couple hours after sunset to find Jorrvaskr still quite festive. I was reminded that the place was a meadhall, besides being the headquarters of the Companions. We quickly learned that Vilkas and Ria, who had left on a mission a couple days before Farkas and I, had returned as well. Almost upon entering I was given a flagon of mead and some kind of roast meat on a bone. There was apparently to be some sort of ceremony to formally induct me into the Companions after the trek to Dustman's Cairn, but I was told that could wait until the next day. For the time being there were celebrations to be had.

After about an hour and four flagons I was challenged to an arm wrestle by an inebriated Njada Stonearm. "You don't look so tough, newcomer," she hiccuped. "Fifty septims says I could put your hand through the table."

"That's quite the claim," I laughed easily with the food and alcohol sitting warmly in my stomach.

"Njada, he's twice your size. Don't make stupid challenges just so you can lose them," a Dunmer I hadn't gotten to learn the name of advised her.

"Shut up, Athis!" she growled in response and cleared a section of the table off somewhat clumsily. "Come on, Argonian," she challenged and sat down with her elbow on the table.

I shrugged and set my latest mug down out of the way. "If you insist," I said as I sat down. A few other Companions, Farkas and Aela among them, came over to observe. Amused murmurs spread among them while Njada and I joined hands over the table.

A reluctant Athis was asked to start us off with a quick countdown. "Strong, for a female," I chuckled at the strain of keeping her from pushing my arm over. I was thankful I hadn't underestimated her or she might have beaten me with surprise. Instead a satisfying "thud" accompanied Njada's hand hitting the table. "I told you so," the Dunmer chimed in helpfully, earning him a verbal lashing from the intoxicated Nord.

I was about to stand up and leave when Vilkas dropped into the seat across from me. His elbow landing on the table a moment later declared his intentions. "Is this just going to turn into a bunch of drunk Nords arm wrestling me?" I said and I gave his hand a sceptical look.

"That tends to be how our celebrations turn out," the other man chuckled. "Mead and tests of strength are an integral part of Nord culture, after all."

"I guess I should be grateful I'm so accepted," I laughed and emptied the rest of my mead down my gullet. I rolled my shoulders and dropped my arm back onto the table. "In that case, I guess it would behoove me to show off the exalted strength of the Dragonborn. I hope I can live up to all the hype."

Vilkas was stronger than Njada but I was still able to overpower him. "You're almost as strong as Farkas," he chuckled and beckoned to his brother. "Farkas! Why don't you show the Dragonborn the strength of Ysgramor?"

Farkas replaced his twin across from me. When his massive arm landed on the table I had the thought that I wasn't as likely to win this match as easily as the others. Nonetheless, alcohol and pride demanded I not back down and our hands clamped together over the table.

From the outset I knew I had lost, as evidenced by my grunted "Holy shit!"

My reaction got a good laugh out of Farkas. "Don't make me laugh. I'm going to lose my strength," he remarked with a grin.

"Yeah, I don't think there's much danger of that happening," I grit through clenched teeth. Despite my best efforts my hand continued to descend towards the table, though I at least got the satisfaction that I knew I was making Farkas work for it. Even still my hand landed on the unforgiving wood of the table a moment later amid the noise of the other Companions' cheers. I rolled my shoulder and rubbed at the strained muscles in my arm. "Damn, I'm pretty sure you could out-wrestle a troll with that arm."

My comment brought a raucous laugh from the large man. "And I trust you'd know from experience, newcomer?"

"Of course I am. I had to fight a frost troll when I went up to High Hrothgar," I grinned. Another half-tankard of mead made me forget about the strain in my arm.

"You've been to High Hrothgar?" Aela asked as she sat down next to me. My drunken gaze fell to her leg pressed against mine despite the room still available on the seat. I was shamefully slow in returning it to her face and there was no doubt she noticed.

I shrugged simply. "Yeah, once, when the Greybeards yelled loud enough that I heard it. With extremely good timing, I might add. I have no idea how they knew I had just killed a dragon but I guess some news can travel really quickly."

"I had heard that the guards had killed a dragon outside the city walls recently, but I didn't know you were involved," Vilkas said.

My attention snapped to the man. "What? Didn't...Those assholes. I was the one who killed the damn thing," I frowned. "Ungrateful bastards. I'm tempted to blame it on my race, but this isn't Windhelm."

"It sounds like you've travelled a lot," Aela remarked as the people around us dispersed. It seemed that people were less interested in hearing me talk than seeing me arm wrestle, which was fine with me. The idea began to work its way through my drunken haze that I probably shouldn't have been so forthcoming with someone I usually tried to keep a secret.

"A bit, yeah," I chuckled and returned to facing Aela. The flickering firelight did her pretty visage no harm, and it was nice to see her without her painted slashes. "I've been around most of Tamriel, actually. I've only recently had business in Skyrim."

"You seem to have a lot of it," she laughed. "Was every country like this for you?"

I shook my head. "No, not really. I think that most of the others are adventured-out. It seems like someone's already picked through all the old hidden places in Morrowind and Cyrodiil. I mostly just worked as a hired sword for caravans and security to pay my bills, though I never had anything like a house to pay for before."

"Do you enjoy living in Skyrim?"

"Enough to stick around for a little bit longer," I smirked. "Things get more exciting all the time here, and that's saying something considering that when I showed up I was put to death."

My comment seemed to shock the woman sitting next to me. "What were you put to death for?"

"Border crossing. For some reason the old 'I'm an Argonian' excuse didn't work for getting the Empire to believe I wasn't a Stormcloak. Incidentally, it's also where I met Ulfric. He's a prick, by the way."

We continued chatting for almost an hour until we were joined by Farkas and his brother. Both had enjoyed their fair share of mead and Farkas was looking to challenge me in some other test of strength. He seemed incredibly pleased that there was someone new who could nearly match him. I accepted without hesitation and we spent the next few hours drinking and intermittently chatting and doing some foolish thing with the drunken Nord. I ended up passing out in one of the beds in the barracks downstairs at the end of the night with the others.

I was woken up unfortunately early in the morning by a combination of instinct and my fellow Companions. Apparently it was time to be formally inducted into the group. I thanked the Hist that my general resistance to poison quickly sobered me or the fluffy affair that followed might have been too much for my stomach. I hadn't heard the word "honour" so many times in a sitting since my appointment as Thane of Whiterun. I wasn't terribly shocked, considering I was the only one present that wasn't a Nord. I joined Kodlak in his study afterwards for another game of chess.

"So are all of the Companions werewolves, or is that just for the top dogs around here?" I asked casually while we played.

It didn't look like he found my comment as entertaining as I did, though I did see a bit of amusement flick across his features. "It seems you learned of our secret before your appointed time," he didn't seem particularly surprised. "Yes, it's true, but only the Circle carries the beast blood." He looked thoughtful as he removed my rook. "Some of us take to it more than others."

"You don't seem to be too taken," I raised an eyebrow and slipped a knight behind his line to catch his bishop. "Check."

He sighed and I knew it had nothing to do with the shift in board position. "I'm not getting any younger, Kailev-Tel, and Sovngarde beckons on the horizon. I worry that Shor may not call the soul of an animal as he would a true Nord."

"Hircine would probably be only too happy to grab you, if you're worried about not having anywhere to go," I shrugged and chased his king around the board with my knights. After clearing most of the board with my other pieces it was fairly easy to keep his king pinned. He hadn't seem prepared for me to play so aggressively after a night of heavy drinking.

"An eternity in his Hunting Grounds is less appealing than the camaraderie of Sovngarde. But you don't need to listen to the worries of an old man. It isn't anything a whelp like you needs to be bothered with."

"If you say so. Checkmate, by the way."

"I see that. It was a quick game," he chuckled. "I'll admit, you caught me off guard with the early rush. You usually play more conservatively than that."

We were in the middle of setting the pieces back up when Skjor entered the room. "Kodlak, I was hoping to speak with you," he stated and then gave me a look. He was likely about to tell me he wished it to be private but I beat him to it and started towards the door.

"Kailev-Tel! Speak to Eorlund about a sword," the older man called after me.

"What's wrong with the one I have now?" I asked and hefted my greatsword from its resting place next to the door.

"It can't hurt to have a good sidearm as well," he pointed out and then turned to Skjor. "Now, what was it you wished to speak about?"

It was disinterest more than respect for their privacy that I didn't catch anything else. I had enough things to worry about without eavesdropping on other people's business. It would probably lead to me doing something stupid like trying to help.

I arrived at my house just before midday after retrieving my new blade from Eorlund. It had been made before I had returned the day before. I found the place vacant and took the opportunity to have a nap. My armour ended up in a heap beside the bed, along with everything save my trousers. I couldn't have been asleep for more than an hour before I heard the thud of another door in the house. When footsteps entered my room I sat up groggily and turned to see Lydia in the doorway, dressed in her civilian clothes. "My Thane! You're home," she smiled.

"Apparently so. You've made it a habit of strolling into my room while I've been gone, I take it?" I yawned and dropped back down onto my bed.

"The door was open."

"...Oh, yeah. It probably was," I laughed and noticed that she had made her way over to the bed. "Sorry, that was rude of me. How have the last few days been? My sister clearly hasn't worn you to your last nerve, yet."

Lydia seemed surprised by the change in manner but continued to smile nonetheless. "I've been on patrol since you left, actually. I had just gotten back and changed my clothes when I saw your door was open."

She lowered and I felt the bed shift under her weight when she sat down. "And like the stalwart housecarl you are, you made sure that no one was stealing your Thane's shit. I knew there was a reason I kept you around."

Her hand on my cheek turned my face to greet hers. "I have to hope that you keep me around for a little more than my diligence, my Thane," she said, her breath hot against my lips.

The pent-up desire I had held for her won out over any witty remark. I lifted myself just enough to catch her with a kiss. She seemed to be expecting it and willingly returned the gesture. My arms slipped up to pull her completely down to the bed. I thought of asking for my sister but decided I didn't really care that much about being caught. It wouldn't be the first time she had walked in on me in bed with someone else.

I didn't hesitate for a moment before I began pulling at Lydia's loose clothing. Considering that most of her time was spent in armour I wasn't surprised that her ordinary clothes would be kept so baggy and open. I wasn't going to argue with how easily it came off. She let me remove her shirt before we each set to work on the other's pants. Our lips went uninterrupted while we stripped each other bare.

The moment we were nude we were entwined as close as our bodies would allow. It hit me that my scales must be quite rough, considering how smooth her skin felt in comparison. It also occurred that it must not feel too horrible, or Lydia likely wouldn't be so tightly pressed to me.

Her lips broke from mine to trail down my cheek and jaw to my throat. I let out a noise halfway between a hiss and a groan. She pulled away from me just long enough to lower her hand to my swelling member. It thickened in her hand almost as soon as her fingers curled around it.

"Someone's eager," my dry chuckle was cut off by another groan when her hand began sliding up and down my cock.

I pushed a finger into her hot entrance and felt her shake slightly. "I don't think I've shared a bed as recently as you, my Prince," she quipped as she pressed a hot kiss surprisingly close to the opening for a gill.

I didn't have a witty response ready. "In my defence, my father has three wives," I chuckled again. "I'm just following the example. It seems to have worked well enough for him so far."

I pushed her just far enough back for me to get my mouth to her breasts when the sudden urge struck me. It never occurred to me to take note of whose breasts were bigger, between Ysolda and Lydia. I was just thankful that I was allowed to enjoy both of them and was determined to show my gratitude. Her hand slipped a few times while my tongue lashed across her puffy nipple. My free hand made sure that neither of her lovely tits were left unattended.

It couldn't have been more than a minute or two before she pushed my hand away from her slick pussy and directed my swollen member to replace it. The embrace of her vagina was as welcoming as ever.

I basked in the feeling of being pushed inside her but she didn't let it last long before she was sitting straight up and driving herself down on me. I reached for her breasts but her hands quickly pinned by wrists to the bed above my head. Her lips were on mine in the next moment and her tongue was forcibly invading my mouth. I had to admire her fervour and returned it as much as I was allowed.

The pace she set was rapid at first but it wasn't long before she calmed. It also wasn't long before she was moaning with every stroke. Her hands left my wrists to brace against my chest and I eagerly brought them to her hips. My fingers dug into her flesh but I was quite content to let her set the pace. It only seemed fair after neglecting her for so long, unwanted as it may have been.

My eyes followed the path of her hand as it lifted from my chest and travelled up her body to hers. I unconsciously slid my tongue across my teeth and lips when she brought her heavy breast up to her mouth. Her tongue dragged across her stiffened nipple and I couldn't help the rough hiss that left my throat.

"You can be a very cruel Thane," she muttered before clasping her lips around her rosy teat. "Leaving me to my own touch for so long..."

"I'll try to make it up to you," I rasped and began pushing her pace a bit harder with my hands.

Her breast fell from her mouth when she let out a soft cry. She eagerly joined in the quickened action. Every so often some fractured plea would tumble out in Lydia's moans and cries. I did all I could to respond to them until I was lifting myself with my tail.

I could feel her starting to quiver as her climax approached. It was no trouble to encourage my own end to join hers. It wasn't like trying to rush it to avoid being caught.

I knew I was caught, nonetheless, when I heard the bedroom door slam into the wall. "Brother, y-What is this?" Keesara sounded excited until she shrieked.

Lydia made to turn away but my grip on her waist was insistent. I raised a hand to her neck to hold her in place for good measure. "I don't care," I growled and continued driving into her delicious heat.

It took little convincing for my apparently starved housecarl to agree. I could feel my sister's eyes on us but paid it no heed; it wasn't the first time she had caught me in bed with someone else. "Kiss me," Lydia's gasping tone made it far easier to put the thought of my sibling out of my head. "Kiss me while you fuck me."

Our lips sealed as well as they could and I felt her orgasm clench her pussy around my shaft. Within seconds I was emptying my seed into her waiting body in hot spurts. Her cries and my groans were mingled in the rough meshing of our mouths.

When our bodies calmed down we lay panting together on our sides. I could feel her sweat-slicked skin slide against my scales as I pulled my spent member from her saturated sex. I chanced a glance downward to see our mixed fluids spilling down the insides of her thighs.

"You'll have sex with a human and not me?" Keesara reminded me of her presence and her screwed up priorities.

"...What did she just say?" Lydia asked as we sat up. "You wish to have sex with your brother?" she turned to face the younger woman blatantly staring at my exposed penis. I rolled my eyes and pulled the blanket up to cover myself, just to get her to actually pay attention.

"Half-brother!"

"Half-dammit, I'm sick of this habit. It was easier when we only spoke hist."

She shot me a quick glare before affecting a very familiar self-righteous tone with Lydia. "It isn't like when you humans do it. Argonians can't have offspring with family members. It's normal for them to...learn from each other."

"Is that true?" my housecarl looked at me with clear shock.

"Kind of," I nodded with a sigh. "Most aren't as adamant about it as she is, but Argonians can't interbreed. Don't ask me why not; I don't know. I do know, however, that explaining Argonian sociology isn't my preferred post-coital activity, so get lost, Kees. I'll meet and greet with you after I'm done here. And no, you can't watch anymore."

My sister made a scene of leaving before calling me a jerk and stomping off. I couldn't help but notice that she had left the door wide open. "...I don't know if she's going to go sulk or masturbate and I'm not sure I want to know," I frowned at the open doorway.

Lydia seemed amused by my pain and decided to distract me back down to the bed with her captivating lips. "Why haven't you ever had sex with her?" she asked suddenly when my kisses began to move down her cheek and jaw.

I pulled away to give her a curious look. "She's my little sister. She used to crawl into my bed after a bad dream and made me fight other men when they hit on her."

"I have a hard time believing you needed much convincing."

"I didn't have a choice. She made it a rule that no male was allowed to court her unless they beat me in a fight." I thought of being clearer but decided it wouldn't matter enough to mention. "It was irritating but at least it kept me in shape through my teens."

She laughed in quiet amusement. "If it irritated you so much, why didn't you just refuse?"

"She's my little sister," I repeated. "I wasn't about to let any of them touch her."

* * *

><p>A few hours later I walked downstairs to the smell of cooking food. Lydia was apparently content to stay in the very warm bed, but I was getting hungry. I hadn't eaten since the night before and it was starting to catch up with me. The smell of cooking food was too much to resist. I found Keesara sitting by the fire, watching a couple fillets of fish cook in a pan. The scent of burning butter underlay the herbs she had scattered across the meat and I felt my mouth start to water. "What've you got there?" I asked cheerily as I strode up beside her.<p>

She snapped her tongs across the back of my hand as it reached towards the pan. "Nothing for you!"

"Ow! Dammit, that hurt!" I barked and retracted the wounded limb. She hadn't been particularly gentle. "What's eating you?" The instant she opened her mouth I thought better of the question. "Don't say 'not you' or I'm kicking you in the ribs."

Her mouth snapped shut and she stifled a laugh. I smiled at the knowledge she wouldn't hold too much of a grudge over catching me with Lydia, even if I had to momentarily put up with catching metal tongs across my knuckles. "...So humans, huh?" she said after a moment and looked back at the cooking fish.

"It isn't like I have some weird fetish, Kees. I just can't resist their feminine wiles every time one of them catches me in a corner," I shrugged and crouched down beside her.

"...What in Oblivion is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I can't say no to a pretty female," I said and immediately regretted my words. I regretted them more a moment later when the pretty female beside me gave me a solid punch in the arm.

"You don't think I'm pretty?" she levelled a harsh glare at me while I rubbed the sore spot in my bicep.

"I think we're related and that matters more," I rolled my eyes but smiled all the same. "Just to placate you, though, I think you're a beautiful young female. Even if you're twisted and perverted."

Another solid blow to my arm made half of it numb. "I'm not perverted. All of our sisters have asked you at least once. And your mother..."

"I don't need to be reminded about the horrors my mother has put me through," I shuddered. "She's too damned..._encouraging_ sometimes. I think she caused me as much trouble as you did, though you've definitely gotten me into more fights."

Keesara sniggered quietly. "Well, maybe I like to see you fight," she shrugged and set to plating the fish. I smiled when I saw her split it between two plates.

"I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that you take great pleasure in watching me get hurt. You're definitely sadistic enough," I chuckled and took the offered food.

My sister gave me a horrified look on the way to the table. "Sadistic? How do you figure I'm sadistic?" she actually sounded genuinely offended by the accusation.

"Jeetah-Ya?" I offered.

"That _kreenik_ had it coming," she scoffed as we sat down.

I gave her a quick rap across her fingers with my fork when she reached for her food to admonish her for swearing. "You beat her up, tore off her clothes and burned them. In public. For asking me to take her to some gathering," I said with complete disregard for her glare. "I consider that to be at least borderline sadistic."

"You'd already agreed to take me. She had no right to get flirtatious with you."

I sighed and started into my food. It wasn't going to do any good to argue with her. I wasn't in the mood to butt heads with her over it. "...So what have you been up to over the last few days? Keeping yourself busy?" I asked.

She seemed momentarily surprised by the change in subject but simply shrugged all the same. "I started working at the Temple of Kynareth here in town, like Lydia suggested," she spoke around her food.

"Back to pruning bushes already?" I snickered and earned myself a kick in the shin under the table.

"Don't speak of the Hist that way. It's..."

"Blasphemy. Yeah, you keep telling me," I cut her off while I rubbed my shin under the table. "What does that matter? It isn't like you're tending to the Hist right now."

Keesara paused a moment in chewing her food. "...I think it might be, actually. Or an old transplant or graft of one. The priestesses said it came from a tree called the Eldergleam," she explained before shaking her head. "Whatever the Gildergreen is, it isn't an ordinary tree. Or wasn't, I guess; it's dead, now."

"So what are you doing taking care of a dead tree? Seems like an act of futility to me."

"The priestesses at the temple don't know it's dead. I heard one of them talking about finding someone to get some sap from the tree it was grafted from," she remarked.

"Well, if it _is _from a Hist tree, that would probably work. At least for a few years, until it just died again," I replied before I caught an important part of her statement. "Wait, you mean they have paying work? I'll go sap a tree or whatever if there's money in it."

Her lips pulled back in a disapproving frown. "Even if it did work, the tree would only get another decade of life. If it's dead it should be allowed to rot. Besides, they were thinking of asking but as far as I know it isn't paying; I don't think the Temple of Kynareth is a business." She stopped suddenly as an idea apparently overtook her. "Then again, if the Gildergreen is actually from a Hist tree, then that would mean the Eldergleam is one."

"Genius observation."

"I've never seen a Hist tree outside of Black Marsh," she blatantly ignored my interruption.

"Me neither," I shrugged. "You want to go see it? I can always extort something out of the priestesses for the work." She rolled her eyes but didn't disagree.

* * *

><p>"That's the one who was talking about hiring someone. Her name's Danica Pure-Spring," Keesara informed me as we arrived at the Gildergreen in the centre of Whiterun.<p>

I nodded and strode up to the woman seated at a bench at the foot of the large tree. "Hey, I heard you were looking for some help with your dead tree," I remarked casually. Neither female seemed terribly impressed by my comment.

Despite her frown, Danica nodded. "Yes, this old tree has become something of an eyesore of late. It isn't really a problem for me, but the pilgrims have been getting upset about its condition. There haven't been many around as a result."

"Pilgrims? I thought crazy people only walked cross-country to see trees in Black Marsh," my surprise was cut off by my sister's sharp elbow jabbing into my side.

Danica's eyebrow rose at her antics but she didn't comment on them. "To the east of the city is a grove around an ancient tree called the Eldergleam. It's the oldest living thing in Skyrim; maybe even all of Tamriel." At that I snorted lightly and had to remind myself that she had never seen or likely even heard of the elder Hist in Black Marsh that had sprouted with the birth of Nirn. "The Gildergreen was a cutting from that tree, and has been here since the town was founded. You can still feel the glory of the Eldergleam in it."

I nodded and gazed up at the brown and grey hulk. It really had been quite the tree, before its obvious death. "And you're hoping you can revive it."

"Things like this never really die; they just slumber. I believe that some sap from the parent could help the child to wake up. You wouldn't be able to tap a tree like that with any ordinary metal, though. I don't think there is a metal that could do it, to be honest. However, I've heard about a blade called Nettlebane that some hagravens forged for sacrificing spriggans. Last I heard, it was at a place called Orphan Rock," Danica explained at length.

"And where's that?" I asked.

"Just to the northeast of Helgen, tucked away in the mountains at the border. The people of Riverwood might be able to give you better directions."

"Then I know where I'm headed first. Thanks," I smiled and turned to find my sister had deserted me without my noticing. "That explains why she was so quiet," I muttered to myself. I decided not to ponder on it and figured she must have headed home after I agreed to run her little errand.

I caught sight of her in the market, speaking with a red-faced Ysolda. I cursed under my breath while I debated taking a longer route back to the house. Before I took the opportunity to head back through the town the distressed human caught sight of me. I saw a pleading look in her eyes and cursed again.

"You had sex with her, too?" Keesara demanded as I approached.

I frowned at her loud question. It may not have bothered me overmuch but Ysolda didn't seem too comfortable with my sister's boisterous attitude at the moment. "Who I have sex with is none of your business," I answered coolly. "Sorry about my obnoxious sibling, Ysolda. I promise to make it up to you," I gave her an apologetic smile while I hooked a firm arm around my sister's neck to drag her away. She looked rather confused and embarrassed by the abrupt interruption to her business and I couldn't blame her.

Keesara struggled and clawed at my arm but I wasn't in the mood to have her get me into any more awkward predicaments. I was glad that her horns were small and curved and so didn't jab into my ribs or armpit the way her thrashing elbows kept catching my stomach.

I released her once we were inside the house and simply ignored the inevitable spew of angry gibberish of mixed Cyrodiilic and hist that spilled from her lips. "Lydia! We're going on another adventure!" I called out. "And I promised this one doesn't involve dragons. At least probably not."

"Right now?" she asked from the top of the stairs as I ascended. "It's nearly nightfall."

"We'll only be heading to Riverwood tonight. Apparently I need to find some fancy knife to stab a tree or something, I dunno. In any case, the place is vaguely near Riverwood and I have some friends there so we should be able to stay the night without much trouble," I explained. She gave a simple nod and retreated to her room to gather her equipment while I did the same.

"When you say 'friends', my Thane, you wouldn't happen to mean some woman with whom you've had the pleasure of sharing a bed, would you?" she asked from her room. My fingers slipped in buckling my newest sword to my belt at the question. Her laugh told me that she heard the resultant clatter of metal. "I'll take that as a 'yes'."

"When I say 'friends' I mean a very nice family that let me sleep in their basement for a couple days after I escaped Helgen," I corrected her. "The fact that there's a woman there with whom I've shared pleasant company is entirely beside the point."

"Are you serious?" my sister shrieked from my doorway. To my utter shame I actually jumped and spun in alarm. I hadn't heard her approach at all. "Do you have a woman in every town in this country? Are they all human?"

"I already told you it's none of your business," I tried to frown but couldn't resist an entertained smirk at the way she glowered at me. Her punches may have hurt more than a grown Nord's but it was still fun to get her riled up. Lydia caught my eye as she came up behind Keesara. The steel plate I had crafted for her with Adrianne's help fit her wonderfully. The blacksmith had joked that I knew my housecarl's measurements intimately without realizing how accurate her statement was. "Good to go?" I asked over my shorter sibling.

She nodded and I could see some measure of excitement lighting her eyes. "Of course, my Thane. Lead the way."

* * *

><p>AN: So this totally isn't worth the wait, but I'm sick of doing and it hasn't quite been three months yet that so here it is. It has, however, been almost two years since I started this thing. I never imagined it would actually last so long. The other reason it's ending here is because I'm still undecided about what should actually happen in Riverwood. On a completely unrelated note, I have a curiosity for the two females that have actually read this: should there be more female-oriented fanservice? It hadn't previously occurred to me that there hadn't been an abundance of it (mostly due to first-person perspective and being male) but when the thought hit me I decided it would do to pose the question. I can't imagine an immense number of women actually read something I've written but if there's demand for it I'd like to do what I can to make up for the absolutely horrid update schedule.


	23. Chapter 23

By the time Lydia and I reached Riverwood it was well after sunset. Half the waxing moon hung in the sky, peeking through the thin clouds. Keesara had been left despite her insistence that she join us, mostly because I knew she only wanted a chance to either keep me from having sex with Lydia or, failing that, to watch like the twisted deviant she was.

"Have you ever been to Riverwood? I can't recall if I've ever asked," I questioned my housecarl as we entered the village. The air was chilly but the river flowed as swiftly as I remembered.

She shook her head. "No, my Thane. I hadn't travelled much before meeting you, outside of patrols. For better or worse, you've done a great job of making my life more exciting."

"I do try to keep it on the 'better' side. Honest," I chuckled as we crossed the bridge into town. "If I had a choice I wouldn't have dragons accosting us every other week, or at least not doing nasty things like throwing you off bridges."

"So long as we can avoid it happening again I am content, my Thane," Lydia said.

"I'll do my best," I replied and looked down the small village's main road. I first thought of staying at Alvor and Sigrid's, but considered that the late hour likely meant that they were already asleep and I didn't much want to disturb them. I thought the same of Lucan and Camilla's, though staying at their home was also complicated by a presumed lack of accommodations. I hadn't seen any beds besides their own the last time I had been there.

I eventually decided that whatever the inn cost wasn't going to ruin me and walked inside. It was warm and smelled of humans and wood smoke. The stringy sound of a lute drew my attention to the blonde Nord bard by the fire. When his eyes landed on me I saw them narrow and I realized that it was Sven, one of the pair of morons whose unimaginative ploy I had outed to Camilla Valerius.

"Kailev-Tel! You're back!" a feminine call tore my attention away from the man. I turned to see Camilla herself approaching me. Her wide grin made her eyes sparkle happily and I found myself smiling back. I guessed she had somehow missed my housecarl when she wrapped her arms around me in a hug. "I certainly didn't expect to see you here. How have you been? It's been too long." Lydia regarded me with an expression that belied her impure thoughts. I mildly regretted admitting having had sex with someone in Riverwood to her.

Knowing I still had Sven's eyes on me I wrapped my arms around Camilla in a warm embrace. "It certainly has been a while," I agreed and directed her attention to Lydia. "Camilla, this is Lydia, my housecarl. Lydia, this is Camilla Valerius, a...friend of mine." The woman's lifted eyebrow told me all I needed. It also struck me that I had never bothered asking Lydia about her surname.

Lydia extended her hand in greeting to the other woman. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Valerius."

"Please, call me Camilla," the latter shook her hand, though I noticed a strange femininity to the action. Strange for a handshake, anyway. "So, you're the new Thane of Whiterun?" she asked. "I had heard that there had been one appointed recently but I didn't know it was you."

"I keep hearing that. Seems like it should be more noteworthy that an Argonian mercenary was given an official position," I said with a frown. "Especially when he's killing dragons and...doing all that other nifty stuff that I do."

Camilla stared at me with a look of mixed surprise and awe that made the scales under my armour feel hot and chafed. It reminded me of some of the looks she had given me the first time she had seen me naked. "Killing dragons? You'll have to tell me all about it," she said and led me to a table at the far end of the inn. It was only large enough for one person to sit at each side of it, but that made answering the young woman's questions fairly easy.

Lydia and I got ourselves some drinks – she some wine and I a tankard of mead – and we related some abridged version of our travels to the enraptured woman. We drank and ate as we talked, though there was certainly more done of the latter than the former.

"So why were you asked to go to High Hrothgar?" she asked as I told her about the climb up the mountain. I had successfully managed to avoid explaining my being the Dragonborn to her and my housecarl had done an admirable job of not outing me.

"Because I killed a dragon," I answered simply. "Apparently that's a big deal."

"It likely also had something to do with being the Dragonborn, my Thane," Lydia wiped away my thought as quickly as it had come to me.

I shot her an irritated glance and did my best to ignore the way Camilla's jaw dropped open. "I can expose my own secrets, thank you," I sighed.

She hid an amused smile behind her cup of wine. "I am sorry, my Thane," her tone said she was anything but, "but Camilla is a friend of yours, yes? Surely you can trust her with the knowledge."

"You're the Dragonborn?" Camilla asked without the slightest trace of disbelief to her voice. There was too much awe for any to fit, I supposed.

I hushed her and took a glance around the inn to see if anyone had heard us. Despite the fact that Sven had been glaring at my back since I sat down with the pretty woman it didn't seem like he was doing a very good job of actually eavesdropping. "Unfortunately," I answered at length. "It gets me into a lot more trouble than such a meaningless title is worth, I assure you. Every time a dragon comes along it seems overcome with the desire to eat me. I'm flattered that they think I'd be tasty but all the same they could stand to bother some other Argonian just minding his business."

"Have many attacked you?" the woman asked with no small amount of worry. Her voice was just full of emotion. I assumed the alcohol may have had something to do with it.

"Only three, and it isn't as though I didn't have help. Still, I'd be quite content if they were to leave me alone," I shrugged and heard Lydia snort with contained laughter.

"I can't imagine you actually avoiding a fight, my Thane," she snickered and it occurred to me that she had just finished her fourth cup of wine. If seeing her drunk hadn't proven entertaining in the past I would have considered cutting her off. Instead I simply finished my fifth flagon and asked for another round for the three of us. It never crossed my mind that I had spent far more on food and drink than I had intended to on just the room.

Camilla joined in my housecarl's laughter at my expense. "He did seem like a troublemaker the few days he was here," she agreed. "But he's a good man, isn't he? Always ready to jump to a woman's defence when he thinks someone's out to get her."

"I think he just uses it as an excuse to pick fights, but I suppose his heart's in the right place," Lydia remarked with an amused smile.

I did my best not to let my embarrassment at the women's praise show. "Same place it's always been," I said and tapped a fist against my left breast. "And I should hope I'm a decent man. I don't think I make a very good dragon. I'm lacking the superiority complex."

"I'll assume the Dragonborn to be an expert on such things," Camilla giggled. "What are you doing back in Riverwood, anyway?"

"Oh yeah. I guess I am kind of here on business aren't I," I laughed aloud. "You wouldn't happen to know where Orphan Rock is, would you? I was given vague directions in Windhelm but was told to ask around here."

Her lips turned downward at the mention of the place. "What would you possibly want there? It's just a mess of hags."

"They have some trinket that's unkind to plants that I need for someone. Nettle-something," I explained.

"Nettlebane," Lydia helpfully provided.

"Yeah, that thing," I nodded.

Camilla looked unsure for a moment. I thought that she should have more faith in me, considering how well I had handled retrieving her claw. "There's a path into the mountains that will lead you there from Helgen," she answered eventually. "I believe there's a way that cuts straight through the mountains south of town, as well, but I've never actually explored that myself."

I mimicked her frown. "I don't really like mountains. They lost their novelty halfway up the Throat of the World. I'm kinda curious about what Helgen looks like these days, anyway, so I guess that'll do it. Thanks."

"You're certainly welcome, Kai, though I still think it's a deplorable place to go."

"Can't be any worse than Windhelm," I shrugged.

Camilla didn't ask me to elaborate and I assumed it meant she must know enough of the town already. "Do you have any plans for where to stay tonight?" she asked somewhat suddenly.

Caught off guard, I stared blinking at her for a moment. "Uh...I was thinking of here," I gestured to the inn.

She gave me a sly smile. "Don't be silly. I'd be happy to offer my home to the Dragonborn for the night. Lucan is on a business trip to Rorikstead for the next few days."

I opened my mouth to comment that I didn't remember her having more than two beds but quickly thought better of it. "Well, I can't say no to a chance to save some coin. Thank you again, Camilla," I returned her smile.

"If you cared about your coin you wouldn't have spent it all on drink, my Thane," Lydia apparently felt compelled to point out.

"All the more reason to save what I can on accommodations," I chuckled and stood from the table. The full force of the alcohol I had consumed throughout the night hit me and I nearly tripped on my first step. I likely would have looked quite foolish had I not possessed a tail to wildly flail around to regain my balance. "Oh, shit. I'm a bit more drunk than I thought."

I could tell by her uncharacteristic grin that Lydia wasn't much better, but she was at least more coordinated about it than I was. Camilla seemed the most sober of us as she led us to her home. She even managed to unlock the door without so much as a slip. After a moment of fumbling about in the dark I lit a couple candles with a small fire spell. Camilla told us she was going to get the beds ready and slipped upstairs.

Lydia and I set to removing the bulk of our respective arms and armour while our hostess was gone. I caught sight of the golden claw I had retrieved from Bleak Falls Barrow in the flickering candlelight and wondered why it was left out in the open when that had previously led to its theft. "A question, my Thane..." Lydia's voice drew my from my thoughts.

I shot her a glance and a nod before returning my attention to the inventory of the store. "Yes, Camilla is the one I mentioned having had sex with in this town," I flippantly answered the question before she could ask it. "Although I'll admit I didn't expect to run into her tonight."

"Very serendipitous," my housecarl noted with shocking eloquence. Her ability to speak without slurring while clearly intoxicated was admirable. "Perhaps if you are lucky..."

"The beds are ready," Camilla's announcement from upstairs cut her off.

I turned again to ask Lydia to finish but found her already ascending the stairs. I frowned after her but quickly followed suit. Whatever she was about to say, I could hardly consider myself lucky considering that a day didn't go by without me being attacked by something.

I found Lydia removing her leggings – the last of her armour – and Camilla in the same nightgown I remembered her wearing the first night we had shared a bed. It took only a moment for me to notice that the two beds had been pushed together and the sight nearly made my jaw drop open.

"Where am I to sleep?" Lydia asked curiously upon noticing what I had.

Camilla's lip caught between her teeth for a moment and a blush not entirely the fault of alcohol rose to her cheeks. "Well, maybe I presume too much, but you two are...together, yes?" she asked.

I was about to deliver my typical line of her being my housecarl when Lydia answered in my stead. "In a way," she said with a sly glance my way. "We have a more intimate relationship than is typical for a Thane and housecarl, but I'd never deign to make any claims on his independence."

I shouldn't have been, but I was a little surprised at her open honesty. "...Yeah, what she said," I agreed after a moment.

"Then perhaps you wouldn't be too opposed to the idea of me sharing my bed with both of you."

Some small part of me had been expecting it and still I was certain my eyes couldn't have grown much wider. Lydia looked to me expectantly. "Hey, I'm not going to be the one who says no," I shrugged. As shocked as I may have been I wasn't about to turn down that kind of offer.

"If it is your wish, my Thane," my housecarl said, though her tone and faint smile told me that she wasn't at all against the proposition.

A moment later Camilla's lips were pressed to mine. It crossed my mind that I may not actually be able to serviceably tend to both women when I felt Lydia's hands sliding under my cloth shirt. Camilla pulled away so the garment could be removed before guiding me towards the beds. My insecurity stopped me just short and I nearly spoke up until my housecarl's arms wrapped around my stomach from behind me. She planted a series up kisses up my shoulder, though my greater height kept her from reaching as far as my neck. Still, the desire I felt in her touch coupled with Camilla's insistent tug on my hand instilled a sense of confidence and determination.

Before I had a chance to act on it my hostess's hands made their way to the buckles of my pants. "These are still impossible," she muttered as she struggled with the straps.

"They are a useless hindrance," Lydia intoned from behind me. Her hands joined Camilla's at my buckles to join in helping loosen them. A moment later the armoured trousers were sliding down my legs and tail to be thrown to some corner of the room.

I chuckled while I descended on Camilla. "As much fun as it might be, Skyrim's a bit cold to go around without pants."

I had barely gotten her nightgown off when Lydia pushed me to my back. I found myself staring at two gorgeous and naked women and felt a lopsided grin pulling at my face. There were times being the Dragonborn was almost worth the injuries and excitement it caused.

Seeing the two women next to each other gave me a chance to compare. Both were beautiful; Camilla's body was slim and lithe, whereas Lydia was buxom and strong. Though my housecarl's breasts were fairly larger I couldn't consider her counterpart's any less enticing. I found myself incredibly conflicted about which female to start with, to the point that it seemed they felt like deciding themselves.

Camilla dove down to kiss me, her tongue forcing its way past my lips and teeth to find mine. The faint taste of wine lingered in her mouth and it made me wonder if mine tasted like mead. I could feel Lydia's lips on my throat and chest, though she didn't stay for long before trailing them down my body.

My muscles fluttered under her touch and just once I had to keep a snicker in when she brushed over a sensitive spot at my hip. I pressed my lips more fervently against Camilla's as she tossed a leg over my stomach to straddle me. I couldn't hold in a pleased hiss when I felt my housecarl's lips engulf my hardening member. It very quickly swelled in her mouth in response to her ministrations. As soon as it felt as though I couldn't get any harder, Lydia's warm embrace left me and Camilla pulled away from my lips. I stifled my disappointed groan when I saw the former's hands slip around Camilla's waist and pull her back until I could feel the heat of her moist sex on my groin.

Lydia's head peaked over our hostess's shoulder to press hot, wet kisses against her neck. Camilla's head fell back with a breathy moan. My housecarl's hands slid up Camilla's sides to grip her breasts, kneading the creamy flesh. Lydia's eyes fell to me and I felt my stiff dick twitch at the lust in them. I guided it to Camilla's entrance with one hand and pushed her hips down with my other. Her slick pussy enveloped me and I felt briefly smothered. I had forgotten how tight she was. She shifted in my lap for a moment, adjusting to the feel of the thick cock buried inside her.

My housecarl whispered something I couldn't catch in her ear that made her shudder and seemed to incite her to action. When Camilla started lifting and impaling herself on my penis Lydia abandoned her place at the woman's back. She fell to the bed beside us, captured my gaze and slipped a hand between her legs. I glanced down to see her rubbing small circles around her moistening clitoris. My attention was called back to her face by a moan, then to Camilla's by a harsh cry of pleasure. I couldn't decide where to focus my sight and eventually settled for simply closing my eyes and basking in the feel, sound and smell of the two females.

Camilla's pace quickly became frustrating to my desperate arousal. My fingers dug into the soft skin of her hips while I drove her onto my cock. I felt a tongue slide up my neck, then lips against my ear. "You look stunning fucking her like that, my Prince," Lydia muttered between gasps and mewls.

I bit back a pleasured hiss and looking over at my sometimes-capricious housecarl "Jealous?" I chuckled back breathlessly.

"Not if you promise to do just as well for me," she smiled back before kissing me roughly. Her fingers continued their busy work at her relatively neglected sex.

Camilla's nails dragged lightly across my chest. I tore away from Lydia to look up quizzically at her and was rewarded with a fierce kiss. One of my hands snapped up to slip into her hair to hold her steady while I returned the kiss with equal fervour.

After what felt like a blissful eternity Camilla pulled away from me with a sharp gasp. "I found a good spot?" I growled in her ear. A couple more hard strokes were returned with increasingly loud cries. She mumbled something positive-sounding and I took it as a request to continue. It took an almost disappointingly short time for her to begin clenching my cock in her orgasm.

She moaned my name in my ear for a few seconds until it was lost in her screams of lust. I continued pounding into her, chasing my far off end until she stayed me with a firm hand on my hip. "Hold...hold on," she gasped without breath. "I haven't...been with anyone since you. I need a chance to get used to it again." She glanced beside me and a sly smile graced her lips. "Besides, I think there's someone else who's tired of waiting."

Camilla slipped off me and settled to the bed at my other side. I rolled over to find myself quite comfortably caught between Lydia's legs. My hand once more guided my throbbing erection to wedge into a warm, wet pussy. I pushed in and out of her tight embrace easily; she had become positively drenched while watching me fuck our hostess. I slipped my hands beneath her thighs and spread her legs open. The look of ecstasy on her face brought a fierce grin to my lips. I drove into her until her bountiful tits jumped up and down with every thrust.

Her nails biting into my scales made me aware of her hands gripping my forearms. I could feel her trying to match my thrusts but the speed and force of them made it difficult. She looked up at me with rapt eyes above reddened cheeks. Her mouth hung open, gasping for the breaths I was driving out of her.

While I found my eyes focused on her open lips, Camilla descended upon them. Their kiss was frantic and sloppy with their lust. "_Ilsaa_," I cursed and felt my cock throb inside Lydia's tightening sex. Camilla's wet mouth left a trail of saliva down Lydia's throat when she moved to attack her breasts.

She only lingered there for a moment before continuing down my housecarl's body. She planted damp kisses along her stomach until she reached our joined sexes. A quick lashing of her tongue was given to Lydia's clitoris and the hard dick pounding into it. She locked eyes with me the whole trip up my own body until our lips were meshed together.

I saw Camilla's hand move to Lydia's bouncing breast before my eyes slid shut. "Your housecarl," she muttered between kisses. "She's a very beautiful woman. Especially when she's getting fucked like that."

A moment later I felt my hostess's hand drop to Lydia's clitoris. "My...my Thane," my hoursecarl gasped. "I'm about to..."

I very briefly broke away from Camilla to mutter, "Yeah, me too."

She beat me, though only by a brief moment. The walls of her pussy tightened their hold until they felt fit to strangle me. Just before my own orgasm started in full swing Camilla pushed my hip just far enough back for me to slip out. Her fist instantly clasped around my shaft and pumped me for all I was worth. I hissed wordlessly against her lips, too much of my control gone to properly kiss her.

I turned to Lydia to see her splattered in my cum. Most was spread in thick strands across her heaving breasts and stomach but one errant shot had flown clear and was plastered across her jaw and cheek. Without thinking much of it I wiped it away with my thumb only to have the digit caught between my housecarl's lips. She sucked and licked my hand until any traces of my seed had long vanished.

"It hardly seems fair that she get it all," Camilla intoned before dropping to lap away all that she could from Lydia's body. I didn't see that she hadn't swallowed most of it until her lips were mashed clumsily with Lydia's. They shared the semen between their passionate kiss and I saw a thin line of fluid dribble down Camilla's chin. Lydia dipped down immediately to catch it. My spent member twitched in renewing desire as I watched the two women press together.

I took advantage of the chance to slide down their bodies. They broke apart to cast a glance my way an instant before my tongue fell to Camilla's wet slit. I dragged it through her folds, drawn in by the salty taste of her essence. I didn't want to leave Lydia unattended and slid my hand up her leg to bury two fingers in her still-dripping quim. Their moans and pants melded together in their joined lips to create an erotic song.

Lydia's mouth made its way to Camilla's throat while their hands roamed across each other's bodies. The latter's head fell back in a breathless cry. I kissed a path across their legs until my tongue was buried in my housecarl's sex. I happily replaced my mouth with my fingers at Camilla's clitoris to make sure she wasn't left out.

It took only a couple minutes for both women to start writhing against each other in shared bliss. Each one's orgasm set off in succession and their entwined bodies made it easier for me to service both with my lashing tongue. When they stopped screaming and shaking I felt each pulling at my wrists and didn't argue with rejoining them.

I was quickly pulled to the bed and set upon by the pair of beautiful women. They seemed eager to kiss and lick my lips, jaw and throat. It wasn't long before their mixed fluids were gone and all three of us shared in a rough, haphazard kiss. They eventually dropped to the bed, clearly as exhausted and satisfied as I.

"I'll have to visit more often," I chuckled before a yawn caught in my throat. Lydia made a small noise of agreement and settled against my side, her head tucked under my shoulder and an arm thrown across my chest.

"Perhaps I could come to Whiterun sometime," Camilla offered while wrapping around my arm and leg.

"That sounds like a good idea," I agreed. It took a brief struggle but I was able to use my tail and free hand to cover us with a blanket. Without our vigorous physical activity to heat up the room the chilled air was quickly closing in. I was immensely thankful for the warmth of the two bodies pressed against my sides.

* * *

><p>The next morning was spent putting off the rest of the journey to Helgen. I knew the trip was only about three hours and I didn't imagine Orphan Rock being much further than that. I was very comfortably buried into the fabric blankets, surrounded by the body heat of our three bodies. Without a fire going it was the only thing keeping the cold air hanging around the rest of the room.<p>

"I'm regretting that none of us lit a fire last night. My clothes are out of reach," I frowned.

Camilla's head peered over her shoulder to look at me. Her back was pressed against my chest since halfway through the night my body decided sleeping on my side was more comfortable. She had happily acquiesced. "Perhaps you should brave the cold and light one now?" she suggested.

I planted my chin on her shoulder to save her the trouble of twisting her neck so far. "_You're_ the host. You light it," I remarked with a smirk.

"_You're_ the man."

"Well, technically..."

"Are you actually trying to use your race to get out of lighting a fire, my Thane?" Lydia asked from behind me. She had my tail across her stomach and was idly rubbing at its underside. It was actually quite enjoyable to have someone take such a friendly interest in the useful appendage.

"I could just order you to do it, you know," I did what I could to regard her with a raised eyebrow over my shoulder.

She nodded simply. "Yes, you could. It wouldn't be as fast as using your magic, though," she pointed out.

I sighed, relented, and reluctantly extricated myself from the warm bed. The house was cold and had left my scattered clothes equally so. I hurried to get the fire lit, though even so the flames had barely crept up the wood by the time Lydia and Camilla joined me downstairs. Our hostess prepared some heated wine to get some warmth into our bodies before we left.

On my way out the door Camilla stopped me and demanded a hug. "Safe travels," Camilla said as she gave me a hug. It was a little awkward with my armour on but we managed well enough.

"Safe? That wouldn't be any fun," I chuckled. I earned a predicted eye roll and head shake for my quip and couldn't help but smile wider.

When Lydia and I stepped outside it was to find small white flakes falling from the sky. I frowned as one landed on the tip of my snout. "Oh, joy," I said without any.

"You don't like the snow, my Thane?" I heard Lydia chuckle at my flank.

"Not as much as I like the rain, no," I replied as I dug my cloak out of my pack. I noticed then that, to the best of my knowledge, Lydia had no such thing. Without thinking I extended the one clutched in my hand.

My housecarl gave me a strange look. "You are going to need that more than I am," she pointed out. "I've lived my whole life in Skyrim. The first snowfall of the year isn't going to bother me much."

I shrugged it off. "Hey, your call, but I better not hear you complaining later that you're too cold."

"If it comes to that I would hope that my Thane is willing to share," she said in a shockingly even tone that left me unable to find a quick retort.

"Kailev-Tel! What are you doing in town?" I was saved from any embarrassment by Alvor's call. I looked up the street to see him standing at the railing around his forge. I somewhat envied his job's warmth.

"Just passing through on my way to Orphan Rock," I called back.

Even at the distance we stood I could see his grimace. "I don't know what you could want with that cursed place, but good luck."

I waved goodbye and started down the road to Helgen. I had barely gotten past the threshold of town when a familiar chill crept up the back of my neck. "Oh, shit," I grumbled and dashed down the road. I was sure Lydia was confused but I didn't have a chance to explain.

I didn't need to when the dragon came soaring down from the mountain overlooking the town. Its thunderous roar ripped through the countryside and echoed off the mountains surrounding us. The dragon swooped over Riverwood and looked ready to descend on the town. "Dovah!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

It was a successful ploy to get its attention, even if I didn't know what I planned to do after getting it. The dragon circled around and fixed me with a baleful stare. "Dovahkiin!" its Voice reverberated off the mountains. The wind from its wing beats scattered the leaves and snow littering the ground around my feet as it alighted just before me. "Fo!" the next word from its mouth carried with it an icy wind.

"Yol!" the quickest response I could muster was my own Shout of fire. The Thu'um colliding sent a torrent of smoke and steam blasting between the dragon and I. The cloud was blown away by the dragon lifting back into the air.

I was forced to cover my face with an arm against the gust of wind. I cursed under my breath and drew my sword as the dragon flew out of reach. It lifted high in the air before turning around and diving towards me. It swooped just overhead, snapping its great jaws at me on the way past. I narrowly avoided the daggers lining its mouth. I wondered for a moment why it didn't use its Voice again before it occurred to me that it likely couldn't Shout any more often than I could.

The snap of bowstrings drew my attention to the village guards firing arrows at the flying beast. Their uniforms marked them as Whiterun troops that had been stationed for this very occurrence and I was thankful for their help. Further back, in the village proper, I could see a few people looking on at the spectacle, including the woman at whose house I had stayed the night.

The dragon crashed on the archers a moment later. Dust and debris were blown into the air. It was tinged red with the flying blood of a soldier that had been crushed by the impact. An arm landed by my dashing foot halfway through my sprint towards the dragon. Lydia stood between it and the townspeople, her shield raised and eyes set in a defiant glare towards her opponent.

"Fo!" the dragon's Voice rang out again with another deluge of frost.

"Wuld!" my own Voice echoed with it. My dash brought me within range of the creature and the added speed made the swing of my blade powerful enough to knock the dragon off balance. Its neck snapped sideways from the force of the sword slamming into its ribs. Crimson streaks of blood splattered across its snow white scales. Its roar of pain cut its Thu'um short, though it was quick to lash at me with its tail.

I was barely fast enough to catch the brunt of its attack against the flat of my blade. I was shocked that my sword didn't break from the hit, albeit decidedly less so that it was wrenched from my grip and sent hurtling into the village wall. I considered it something of a testament to the blade's craftmanship when it managed to pierce the stone far enough to stick.

The dragon's tail also managed to knock my off my feet and daze me. I reacted without thinking and rolled away in time to dodge the clawed wing slamming into the ground. I heard Lydia shout something but the sound of smashing cobblestone and the ringing in my ears made it impossible to tell what.

My housecarl charged in at the somewhat distracted dragon and caught the bottom of its throat with her sword. Blood gushed out and splashed on the lightly snow-covered ground. She plunged her weapon into its shoulder until the blade jammed at the hilt. The dragon gave a desperate lash of its neck that knocked Lydia away at the cost of tearing the sword only partway free. A moment later it finally succumbed to its wounds, growling out some final words in its language that I couldn't understand before collapsing. The only one I caught was the last rumbling "Dovahkiin".

I let out a relieved sigh at the sight of the defeated dragon. "That went surprisingly well," I chuckled. Her shield and armour were coated in a layer of frost and edged with ice but she looked unharmed.

Lydia nodded. "It would seem we're getting better at dealing with them, my Thane," she agreed.

The townspeople had just started leaving the relative safety of the wall when the dragon's corpse burst into familiar flames. Its soul forced its way into my body and mind and filled me with formless knowledge. It took a moment to figure out but I managed to piece together its last words as something similar to "Well fought," and felt an unexpected sense of respect and solemnity for the dragon. It was a being that pursued destruction, but I could tell that it hadn't felt any malice towards me. Derision at my mortality, perhaps, but not malice.

"Kailev-Tel! Are you okay?" Camilla's voice drew me from my introspection.

"As good as I can hope to be after killing a dragon," I shrugged with an amused smirk. "Next time you hear a dragon outside, though, resist the urge to investigate until after the world stops shaking, okay? I'll feel better."

"I knew you wouldn't let anything happen to the village," she said and sounded completely confident of it.

I frowned nonetheless. "I can't guarantee your safety, Camilla. Dragons are powerful, dangerous creatures and I've gotten lucky so far that there haven't been more deaths. Take care of yourself."

Her smile remained and she gave me a nod. "I will. Make sure you do, too."

"Yeah, yeah," I rolled my eyes but smiled all the same. I supposed it was nice to know there were people in the world who worried a little.

* * *

><p>The rest of the road to Helgen was as quiet as I remembered it, though it was somewhat odd to be willingly walking to the town in which my execution had been ordered. Lydia and I were enjoying the peaceful silence of each other's company when a thought reoccurred to me. "Hey, do you have a surname?" I asked with a look to my housecarl.<p>

She looked surprised for a moment before answering. "Ironhand. Why do you ask, my Thane?"

"I was just curious," I shrugged.

"Do _you_ have a surname?" she asked curiously in turn, to which I shook my head.

"No. Argonians traditionally don't. After all, _we_ know who our family is. We can tell by the smell," I said with a tap to the side of my snout.

"You can?"

"Sure, why not?" I chuckled. My flippant shrug earned me an eye roll.

We lapsed back into quietness until the charred ruins of the fallen town finally came into view. The outer buildings were little more than blackened rubble. The gates were shattered and burned and only a few pieces of each held onto their hinges. "You escaped from this?" Lydia asked when we approached.

"I snuck out through an underground passage in the fort while the dragon was tearing the place apart," I explained. "You know, it's strange to see a destroyed town like this hasn't been taken over by the wildlife here."

"Perhaps the dragon that destroyed it has something to do with that," my housecarl suggested.

I nodded with a laugh. "Yeah, I guess. I'd still think some bandits would move in or something."

"And when they do I'm sure I'll be whisked back here so we can collect the bounty," Lydia remarked with surprising dryness.

"If you're so opposed to being whisked I'm sure I can find someone else to help me kill lowlifes for money," I shrugged.

"I never said I was opposed to it. I'm rather fond of our romantic getaways, when I'm not being attacked by dragons or giants."

I shook my head as I made my away towards the rear entrance of the town. It led into the forests to the east and I knew that to be the direction of Orphan Rock. "Think it's far?" I asked after we had left the town. I had resisted the morbid curiosity that demanded I inspect the square wherein my execution was to take place.

"I have no idea, my Thane. I've never even been as far south as Helgen."

"You don't make a very good tour guide, you know that?" I asked as I shot Lydia a wry smirk.

"I wasn't trained to be one," she pointed out.

I nodded. "True, but you could have wandered around as a child or something. I did. I used to know my way around most of Black Marsh, before I left."

"I suppose I was never taken with that sort of wanderlust," said my housecarl. "I think I've actually lost a few pounds since being appointed to you, though that may have as much to do with the occasional sex as the constant walking."

I was getting better at not being taken aback by Lydia's bluntness as we had gotten to know each other better. "I can't have invigorated that part of your life that much. We've only had sex a few times."

"Actually, it had been about three years since the last time I shared my bed, before I met you," she stated simply.

"Really?" I was honestly surprised. "You know you could have pretty much whomever you wanted, right?"

"What makes you say that?" Lydia asked. Her look of honest curiosity and the desire to prove my own point goaded me into stepping close enough to press a quick kiss to her lips. It was hasty and a little off-mark but it worked all the same.

"Because you're gorgeous, of course," I smirked. Her cheeks actually darkened a little and I wanted to laugh.

"Thank you, my Thane," she stated after taking a second to compose herself. "I think you're the only person who's ever said that to me," she added after a moment.

There was no denying she was a beautiful woman. It seemed strange to think that she'd be unused to compliments. "I thought men were supposed to do that whole 'conquering women' thing around here. Isn't that a great human sign of masculinity?"

"From your performance, I'd expect it to be an Argonian sign, my Thane."

I frowned at the slowly vanishing trail. "I don't conquer women. I just...am often beset by them. What else am I supposed to do, if not take them up on their generosity?"

"I never said I was upset by your actions," Lydia pointed out with a flirtatious smile.

I couldn't hold in my laugh. "I suppose that's true," I agreed. "There are still times I feel kinda bad about being such a whore. You know that if you want you can see other people, too, right?"

"I don't see much reason to seek pleasant company elsewhere," she shrugged and didn't say any more on the subject.

The silence lasted until we found Orphan Rock in the mid afternoon. It was more a rocky mound than anything else. Fallen trees dotted the landscape around it and I could see the branches of one sticking from the edge. Also scattering the area were a number of females in ragged black robes. The fact that the group was exclusively comprised of women struck me as odd but then I had encountered stranger things in my life.

The first one to see me didn't look excited at my presence. "You! What are you doing here?" she called out, drawing the attention of her surrounding fellows.

"Just out for a hike. The brisk mountain air is great for my lungs," I grinned. "What about you lovely ladies? This seems a weird place to stumble on a group of enchanting women like yourselves."

"None of your business, Argonian. You'd do well to go back the way you came."

"I'll turn right around just as soon as I find a special little knife I've been told is called Nettlebane. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

I had expected a simple denial and warning not to ask about it. Instead a shot of fire came screaming towards my head a moment after I asked. As I ducked under the flame I realized that I probably should have seen it coming. Talking my way through the procuring of a cursed blade suddenly seemed an unrealistic prospect.

My sword's scabbard clattered to the ground somewhere behind me when I whipped the weapon free. "Wuld!" came the rather standard initial Shout from my throat. The air left the woman's body in a single heave as my blade came crashing into her shoulder. The gilded metal removed her arm without so much as a hitch in her collarbone. My hands shifted on the hilt and brought the sword back up into her ribs. Blood, flesh and bits of bone glittered in the air among the light snow.

The next moment all was chaos. A barrage of spells came hurtling at me from four separate places. Bolts of flame and shards of ice skipped off my armour. My own magic flew back at whomever I couldn't reach with my sword. Lydia's shield was as faithful at my back as always. She cleaned away whatever foes my rampage happened to miss or leave injured.

At the top of the place's namesake was the hagraven the witches were apparently following. She shrieked with an unearthly howl before unleashing a massive fireball at me across the fallen tree that separated us. "Fus!" I Shouted in desperation. The force of my Thu'um was unfortunately not enough to stop or even slow the destructive spell.

I was left with little recourse aside from taking the brunt of the explosion against my blade. The heat scorched my hands and cheeks. I managed to stand my ground, however, and by some miracle the sword survived the explosion unharmed. I tried to rush the hagraven with my usual Shout but found my Voice unwilling to come to my lips so soon after the last.

My boots kicked up dirt and bark from the fallen tree as I ran headlong at the creature. I swung my sword in a wide overhead arch. I hadn't expected the attack to actually hit and wasn't surprised that it missed. What did surprise me was the speed with which the hagraven dodged to the side and slashed at me with her claws. I ducked out of the way of the worst of it but still caught the edge of one claw with my cheek. A short one-handed swing of my sword left her with a bleeding forearm and forced her out of arm's reach.

Another fireball grew between her outstretched arms and I knew I wouldn't be able to cut her down before it was released. I was tensing my muscles to dodge to the side when my housecarl slammed into the hagraven's side like a thunderbolt. Lydia drove her to the edge and sent her sailing off with a bash of her shield. The hagraven caught the metal disk in her claws and dragged my companion over the edge with her.

"Lydia!" I yelled reflexively before deciding in a more appropriate "Wuld!" My Voice carried me to the side of the rock where I could see the hagraven and my housecarl. The former was just climbing to its feet while the latter looked to be avoiding the use of her left leg. I fired a pair of ice spikes into the hag's back before it had a chance to attack Lydia. It collapsed to the ground in an unceremonious heap.

"Hey, are you hurt?" I called down to Lydia.

"I think I sprained my leg," she called back.

I didn't think about it much before slipping off the edge of the rock. I landed with a clattering of armour but didn't injure myself as she had. "Come on. Let's get our packs so you can get a healing potion in you," I said as I lifted her to her feet. "Then we can track down this stupid knife and figure something out for the trip back. I don't think you're going to want to walk as far as Riverwood on your leg."

She nodded her assent. "You are right, my Thane." She seemed to hesitate before continuing. "I apologize for acting so rashly. It got me injured and delayed our trip."

"I'm not upset," I shrugged. "It saved me from getting injured and it's hardly like this is our first time spending a night in the wilderness. They even have a few tents and bed rolls already set up, and I think I saw a fire pit up the hill."

"I'm glad you can remain such an optimist, my Thane. Or at least an opportunist."

"I try to make the best of what I have," I said and shot her a grin. I was glad I had someone like her with whom I could share such adventures. "Now then, I think I saw some sacks of food up near that tent. I vote we go see what they were planning to have for dinner before we look around for this stupid knife."

* * *

><p>AN: Remember when I updated at least once a month? That was neat.


	24. Chapter 24

By early morning Lydia was able to walk, though she had a fairly noticeable limp for most of the trip back to Riverwood. She eventually caved to my insistence that she drink another healing potion. It wasn't strong enough to do much more than dull the pain and relieve some of the swelling. We somehow managed the trip without incident, though the dragon's skeleton was still cluttered around the archway to the town.

"No one's going to clean this up?" I asked aloud as I walked through the bones.

"They're dragon bones. What can anyone do about them?" Lydia asked with a slight frown.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Make some weapons or tools or something? You can hack them up with a solid blade and a bit of patience. There are some scales around that could probably be used for armour." After pointing it out the thought occurred to me that I should probably grab some of the bits and pieces myself for such a project. I doubted I really had the skill to work with dragon bones or scales but I didn't see the harm in trying.

I didn't bother to stop in on anyone on the way through the town. I had already visited them, after all, and saw little point in saying hello only to immediately leave. I still exchanged quick pleasantries with Halvor as I passed his smithy, if only because I had to walk by regardless. He seemed pleasantly surprised about our relatively fine health after going to Orphan Rock and back.

We reached Whiterun by early afternoon. When I caught Lydia limping slightly again I ordered her to stay at the house while I delivered the news and Nettlebane to Danica Pure-Spring. She looked like she wanted to protest but followed my request obediently.

I toyed idly with the twisted black and brown knife as I walked. It felt rough and earthy, like the handle had been carved roughly from some dead tree and left unbound, and oddly heavy for its size. Ornate, if decadent, etchings traced about the small knife's dirty black blade and hilt. What little magical sense I had could feel the dark energies twisting around the unpleasant thing.

Danica apparently felt the sickly magic enchanted on Nettlebane and refused to so much as touch it. I was left with the instruction to head to the Eldergleam Sanctuary, as she called it, and retrieve the sap of the tree myself. "I better be getting something for this," I muttered on the way out the door when it occurred to me that I couldn't recall discussing a reward.

I arrived at my home to find my sister tending to Lydia's bruised leg. With her armour off I could see the extent of her injuries. Her ankle was swollen and dark purple stretched up the side of her calf. I explained my most recent errand while I retrieved a strong enough healing potion to heal her leg by the next day.

I didn't announce my intention to leave immediately until after she had finished the potion. It was strong enough to leave her drowsy and she protested to my leaving without her. "I'll go with him," Keesara offered. "I wanted to visit this Eldergleam tree but Danica said going there would be dangerous on my own."

"And what makes you think I want you tagging along?" I chuckled until she gave me a sharp punch in the arm.

"I want to see if it's like a Hist tree. I've never heard of something like this outside of Black Marsh."

I couldn't fault her for that, considering I had been wondering it myself. "It's still dangerous. Going with me will only exacerbate that fact."

"So? I know you won't let anything happen to your dear sister," she said with a cute smile. I caught myself short of correcting her. "Please?" she cooed after a moment of my silence.

"Fine," I relented at length. I was immediately set upon with a vicious hug and stream of slurred thanks. I grunted and stumbled back from the force. "But I don't want to hear you complaining that you're cold or that your feet are sore or that a dragon's attacking us. It's all part of travelling."

"I won't complain," Keesara pulled away from me and huffed. I didn't believe her for a moment but didn't want to delay our departure any further.

* * *

><p>"How did Lydia's leg get hurt?" Keesara asked as we trudged through the deepening snow. She had piped up from time to time with odd and random questions, ranging from how working with the Companions had gone to which women in Whiterun had shared my bed. My answers had ranged from honest explanations to outright refusal to respond.<p>

"She fell off a rock," I shrugged against my heavy cloak. "Dangerous things, rocks. You never know when one is going to get you."

I vindicated my own advice by ducking a pebble my sister chucked at my head. The setting sun was touching the mountains to the east, casting long shadows across the country. I turned my head to look back at Whiterun, a few miles behind us. It was hard to see for the falling snow but I could make out its outline in the distance. We had walked steadily all afternoon despite the weather and true to her word my sister hadn't complained. I had noticed her breathing getting heavier for the past hour or so, though, and decided that as night fell it would likely be best to find some place to rest and get out of the snow.

Such a place became apparent when we came upon a somewhat familiar escarpment jutting from the cliffs. I hadn't thought much of it on my last pass through the area, though a small path led off the road to a cave under the hill of rock. Curiosity as to what was at the top had me climbing the jagged stone.

"What are you doing?" Keesara asked as I started to climb.

"Seeing what's up here. You can go into the cave if you'd like," I answered and glanced down at her from a little over my height up the cliff.

She looked to the open darkness and then back to me before shaking her head. "I'll stay down here and make sure that I can see you fall into that river when you inevitably slip."

"Wouldn't be the first time," I laughed. "Although it wasn't actually from up here that I fell. The height looks about the same, though."

My sister muttered something below her breath that I couldn't quite catch. I didn't give her much regard and instead continued climbing. It took me a couple minutes to reach the top. I found a single standing stone that looked to rise about as high as my chest atop a small dais at the centre. The flat hilltop was dotted with dead trees and I could make out scattered bones among the whiteness capping the hill.

I took a step towards the standing stone and was somehow caught offguard when the bones coalesced into complete skeletons and stood up. I sighed and took my sword from its place on my shoulder. I didn't bother unsheathing it, seeing little point in dulling my blade against bleached bone. The first one that approached exploded into shards and scattered from my covered blade. Desire for entertainment caused one with a bow to explode from a shot of fire to the chest.

The last two fell quickly enough to my strikes. Reanimated skeletons were hardly a problem to anyone with enough strength to break their bones. The fact that anything had reacted to my presence made me question was so important about the standing stone.

I walked over to it and crouched to inspect it. There was a circular hole near the top and a constellation whose name I couldn't remember carved into the face of it. I didn't know enough about such things to guess at the stone's purpose.

"Hey, Kees!" I shouted down the hill after making my way to the edge. "Get up here. I need a hand with something."

"What?"

"Just get up here and I'll show you."

"No."

"I'll let you take my clothes off."

The fact that she was standing next to me a minute later had me shaking my head and her snarling after me about tricking her. I asked her about the symbol on the standing stone, figuring she'd know more about something academic than I did. "It's the Ritual," she looked at me like she thought me stupid. "Don't you know the constellations?"

"Of course I do. I just don't care about their names or what they mean. Why is it carved into a small pillar? I want to know what one is supposed to do with this hilltop stone."

She shrugged. "If I had to guess I'd say it was something to do with the undead. The Ritual is usually associated with either the moon or the undead."

"That would explain the skeletons," I nodded. "Well, I guess there's one really good way to figure this thing out," I shrugged before kneeling before the stone. I pressed my hand to it and found the rock unnaturally cold to the point that it made my palm tingle uncomfortably.

White light began to glow from within the stone, illuminating the lines and dots carved into its face. A beam of light shot up from the stone a moment later to the night sky. The Ritual in the sky shone as brightly as its stone for a few seconds before the light receded and rushed into me. The knowledge of the Ritual's spell flooding my mind wasn't unlike when I absorbed a dragon's soul, though the magic felt somehow cold and foreign.

I shook my head and stood back to my feet. Keesara looked slightly concerned. "Apparently I can make dead people get up with this," I gestured to the stone. "Might be handy if I need to fight someone surrounded by corpses."

We made our way back down to the cave. I didn't notice the smell of blood and smoke until I got inside the entrance. "Hold on," I raised my hand to stop my sister.

She halted immediately, apparently trusting my judgement that something was amiss. I crouched low and crept into the cave. I slid my sword from its scabbard and tossed off my hood as I crept along the cave wall. As I made my way inside I could hear the sounds of tearing flesh and crunching bones.

The source became apparent when I found a pair of trolls devouring a mess of broken bodies next to a fire at the back of the cave. I assumed that the humans were the ones who lit the fire; as far as I was aware trolls lacked the intelligence to do so.

They were too engrossed in their meal to notice me or my scent. I gripped my greatsword with both hands and pointed the tip at the back of a troll. "Wuld!" my Voice echoed in the small cavern. I shot towards the troll on the whirlwind of my Thu'um and impaled it from behind. I couldn't stop myself from tumbling several feet with the beast. Its flailing body knocked me away and wrenched my grip from my sword.

I scrambled to my feet in time to see the other troll charging at me almost as quickly as I had attacked its counterpart. I didn't have time to get out of the way before it crashed into me. I hit the wall behind me and felt my armour compress into my chest. My bones held but I knew I'd be sore for a while. The troll pinning me to the wall was a more pressing concern than my potential soreness, though.

"Fus Ro!" I Shouted in the troll's face. Using another Thu'um so soon after the last left my throat feeling strained and raw but it drove the troll away and I considered that more important.

I was reminded of my climb to High Hrothgar when flames burst from my hands to engulf the vicious creature in front of me. It thrashed and bellowed with terrible, agonized shrieks. It was such a sigh and sound I didn't notice the other one, sword pried from its rapidly healing back, until a shard of ice flew past me to catch it in the throat.

I looked first at the further injured and enraged troll, then to the source of the ice: my sister. I had long forgotten that she had studied basic magic with me. It had never occurred to me that she may have continued after I left. I turned my flames to the momentarily disabled troll to make sure it wouldn't get another chance to attack me.

"Are you okay?" Keesara ran over to me with worry in her eyes. She looked over my dented armour with fussy hands until I swatted them away.

"Other than the stink of burning troll, I'm fine," I assured her while I retrieved my sword. "Didn't know you could cast spells like that, though. You surprise me every day."

My sister looked immensely pleased with herself at that. "I do what I can," she smiled sweetly. "I could never use magic as well as you, but that doesn't mean I don't know a few spells."

"The way I remember it you were better at Illusion and Alteration than I was," I pointed out. "Which reminds me, I have a spell tome you should leave through."

"You mean that transmutation spell?" she asked as we made our way over the smouldering remains of the fire. There was a small camp set up around the cave that I assumed was put in place by the trolls' meal. There was even a single bedroll that suggested an intimate relationship between the pair of humans. I had no idea if the trolls were lovers, though.

"You went through my things?" I asked warily. It wouldn't be the first time. Or the hundredth, for that matter.

"It was a book you had lying around. I didn't think you'd mind me reading it," Keesara huffed. "Although speaking of your things, a courier arrived the other day with a message." She reached into tunic and extracted a folded sheet of paper.

"Did you read it?"

"It's some Dragonborn thing," she explained.

I flipped it open and read the note aloud. "'Not all are pleased to see the return of the Dragonborn. Be careful where you use your Thu'um. I for one am happy to see a true hero these days. You should make it a point to visit Sunderstone Gorge. Rumour has it a great power lies there.' It's signed 'a friend' and there's a crude map scribbled on the back of it. Apparently this place is a ways west of Whiterun."

"Does that mean I have to come with you to do Dragonborn stuff?" Keesara asked. She and I set to work at refreshing the camp while we talked.

"I doubt it. Though there is a certain amount of fun to be gleaned from finding these places. Fighting dragons certainly isn't boring."

"You're depraved."

"Says the girl whose greatest desire in life is her brother's body."

"Half-brother!"

I sighed and looked to the bedroll. "Speaking of which, we only have one bed."

"I don't mind," she said blithely.

"I'm aware. I, however, do," I said.

She folded her arms under her breasts and pouted. "If you were with Lydia you'd be fine with it," she said as though it were relevant.

"Of course I would. I'd have sex with her, too," I chuckled. "She'd probably suggest it. We could make love by the firelight, our shadows dancing in carnal rhythms on the walls..."

"I still can't believe you're more willing to share your bed with a human than me," she said with something close to offence or indignation.

"And I still can't believe I come from a swamp populated by people who worship a bunch of trees, but that doesn't make it any less true," I shrugged and barely withheld my snicker at her sputtering anger. "Regardless, the point is moot. We'll have to keep watch and make sure nothing sneaks in during the night to eat us, like those two."

We scrounged up some uncooked food from around the former camp and made something close to a meal. I stripped off my chilly armour and wrapped myself in my travelling cloak in lieu of a blanket, as my sister quickly swiped the only one that seemed to be around. I was for once thankful of my inability to sweat, as it kept me from getting my wool socks wet inside my cold boots. There wasn't any handy way to fix my dented armour but it wasn't bad enough to cause serious discomfort.

Our idle chatter persisted for a couple hours before tiredness got the better of my sister. She agreed to take the latter watch and settled down for the night. It didn't take her long to fall asleep and I was left alone with my thoughts. I was curious about what sort of "great power" resided in Sunderstone Gorge. Considering the reference to my Shout I assumed it to be a new word. I still had the faint, formless whispers of the last dragon's soul I had consumed and was very much for learning some word to give it shape.

The thoughts of being the Dragonborn brought me to the logical reminder that I had been neglected the task set to me by the Greybeards. I wasn't thrilled about being told what I had to do but perhaps it would be a good idea to look into it soon. I was becoming steadily more interested in improving my skill with my Voice. After all, it wasn't as though my reluctance to follow orders was going to slow the dragons down any.

* * *

><p>The rest of our walk to the Eldergleam Sanctuary was relatively uneventful. We encountered a few wolves and bears but I kept them from becoming problematic with my Voice. I could vaguely remember thinking of my calming Shout as being useless but had come to find it very handy. The conversation between my sister and I was curt for most of the trip with little more than comments on the chilly weather or my "Dragonborn thing". I could hardly fault Keesara for her curiosity; I imagined it a strange thing to hear that one's brother is an old Nord legend.<p>

I noticed the greenery becoming thicker and lusher as we approached the area Danica Pure-Spring had marked on my map. "The country's getting more alive," my sister spoke as she looked around, "It reminds me of the groves back home." I could hear her voice getting more and more excited.

"Kind of," I agreed. "Though there's more snow here, and less swamp. I also can't help but notice that something isn't trying to eat me five times a day."

"It's already been three."

"It's still an improvement. I'll take it," I shrugged.

The thick undergrowth eventually gave way to what amounted to a gigantic tree in a crater. I couldn't see it very clearly for the surrounding rock and vegetation. I nearly had to chase my sister when she darted in. It seemed she had been a touch more excited than she had let on earlier.

I followed the short, twisting passageway carved into the rock until it gave way to the cavern inside. My eyes widened in surprise at what I beheld. The Eldergleam looked shockingly like a Hist tree from home, though somehow different. The difference seemed almost like that between a deciduous tree and a coniferous one. The closest comparison I could think of would be to relate the Hist in Black Marsh to the Eldergleam was an oak and a cedar.

"Holy shit," I cursed aloud.

"Kailev-Tel!" Keesara's harsh tone drew my attention away from the tree. "I think that's actually a Hist. How is it here in Skyrim?"

I levelled an annoyed glare at her. "How should I know? Try asking it."

She jumped as though she hadn't even considered the idea and bolted down the path again. I sighed and followed after her at a jog. Several of the humans sitting around the glade looked our way but none seemed very concerned with us.

I found Keesara stopped before the thick roots blocking the way closer. "I think this is why I was supposed to bring this thing," I remarked and drew Nettlebane from its leather wrappings in my pack. The second its edge touched the first giant root blocking us the wood retreated with an almost pained creaking.

My sister frowned but let me continue encouraging the tree to let us near its trunk. After removing the roots – each with the same painful groaning of wood – we arrived at the base of the tree. I looked up into its boughs while Keesara ran to the trunk.

Her palms nearly slapped to the wood in her excitement. I saw her eyes close and she let out a slow exhale before touching her forehead to the tree. "Awaken, Seed of Nirn. Awaken, that I might seek your guidance and counsel," she spoke in low tones of our native language and to my shock the tree responded. I hadn't heard the odd hissing, rustling language of the Hist in years but I found myself still able to understand it easily.

"Words this one has not heard in so long," the sound seemed to come from both within its truck and high in its branches. The two deep, rasping tones gave what amounted to its voice a harmonic quality. "Why have you come here, child of dust and water?" I still couldn't stand how slowly their kind spoke.

Keesara's face split in a wide grin and she looked between me and the giant tree. "Do you remember another child of dust taking a cutting?" I asked in Hist before my sister could interject.

Its wood seemed to twist and shift under its bark and I knew it was regarding me. "Many seasons ago, a child of dust and earth took a sapling that had grown from this one's fallen seed," the Hist explained, willing to leave its own question unanswered.

I nodded and considered my options. I knew that Danica intended for me to return with sap to return life to the Gildergreen, but I wasn't certain such a course of action would be for the best if it was even possible. In Black Marsh I had been raised to believe all death a necessary part of life. After all, the most prosperous life was often found among death and decay.

"Could we take another?" Keesara asked. "The tree that had grown from your seed has died, though I do not know from what."

"It grew alone; it was never nurtured. Its roots never reached deep enough to keep its own life anchored and so it withered," the Hist's leaves shook without wind as it spoke. "The children of this land do not know how to speak with us or nurture our saplings."

"We do," my sister's voice was as reverent as when we were children. "And we will."

There was a long pause, as though the tree was considering its actions carefully. "The children of dust and water have always cared for us in Argonia. This one survived in this land of rock and ice where many others did not. Their voices were silenced by the children of dust that inhabit this land; those of earth and stone and snow." I knew that children of dust and earth referred to humans, but I didn't know which races it meant by stone or snow. "Perhaps with you, a sapling will survive. Another voice would be welcome among us."

The dirt and rocks at our feet split apart as the sapling sprung to life. It grew in moments until it was as high as my chest and thick as my leg. I was about to question how we were going to carry it when my sister picked it up and slung it over her shoulder. It came free from the earth without resistance.

"Are you okay with that?" I asked with a chuckle.

She nodded. "It isn't very heavy. Just try not to get us into too much trouble."

"In all fairness, I've never found myself caught in any trouble I couldn't handle," I shrugged.

"And your Histskin has nothing to do with that, of course," Keesara rolled her eyes.

The Eldergleam rustled and creaked in response to my sister's words and I felt its focus on me. "A child of dust and water with the Histskin? You must be He Who Swims Against the Current." My name in their language took over seven seconds to say. I counted the time in my head.

"The other Hist speak of me?" I frowned. I wasn't surprised but it still wasn't very pleasing news. They had a penchant for gossip.

"They sing of your name. They have been asking after you for the sake of your family."

"If you could hold on to that information, I'd be immensely grateful," I sighed. "I didn't leave so I could get found again."

It was a long moment before the tree responded. "If that is your wish." I was again surprised. I hadn't expected it to be so easy. "In return for keeping your secrets, this one asks that you raise our new voice well. This one has been alone in this land for too long."

We left the tree a short while later, after Keesara was done having a conversation with it about life in Skyrim. We didn't make it quite past the grove surrounding the great piece of wood when we were accosted by one of the humans populating the place. "What was that?" she asked anxiously. "In all the years I've been in this place I've never seen anything like it."

I jutted a thumb towards my sibling. "She's good with plants. Gets along well with them for some reason."

Keesara frowned at me but didn't say anything. I could tell she wanted to explain what had happened but I doubted she could figure out the words to make a human understand. "I'll explain next time I'm here. I'll definitely be making the trip again," she promised instead. I frowned at the thought of having to escort her again just to talk to a tree.

* * *

><p>"Kailev-Tel, it's good to see you," Aela greeted me when I stepped into Jorrvaskr after returning from my trip to the Eldergleam. It was the early afternoon.<p>

"You, as well," I grinned. "You wouldn't happen to have any paying work kicking around, would you?"

The woman nodded. "As a matter of fact, I just got a request that I think you'll enjoy. It seems the giants at Bleakwind Basin have been attacking guard patrols lately, and the farmers outside the town have been getting worried."

"So we've been asked to solve the problem. It sounds almost like how we met," I chuckled. "Would I be able to con you into giving me a hand with this? I seem to recall one person having trouble with giants."

She let out a wry chuckle. "That they are. I'd be happy to join you, Shield-Brother. When were you planning to go?"

"Immediately, if that works for you. No sense in leaving the things to continue terrorizing helpless patrols and farmers."

She laughed, presumably at my referring to the Whiterun guards as helpless. In all fairness I had only ever seen one that could actually hold her own in battle. Aela agreed to set off immediately and we left after she grabbed her weapons and armour. I was always surprised at how easily the Nords in Skyrim dealt with the cold weather. I hadn't seen any around Whiterun with so much as a coat since the snow started falling. I could hardly tolerate it with my furs and cloak over my recently repaired armour.

Our trip out of the town was mostly silent, aside from the simple small talk of "What have you been doing?" and "How have things been?" every couple minutes. It was nice to feel relaxed enough with my fellow Companion to walk in lasting quiet on our way to fight a pair of giants.

We found them about two miles southwest of the town, slightly past the watchtower at which I had killed my first dragon. They were stalking across a mostly open field. Rocks scattered the uneven plain and in the distance I could see a small village. The mountain chain that ended overlooking Riverwood was a couple miles to our left. Aela motioned for us to stop and crouch down. We had a broken view of the giants behind the random bumps and rocks in the terrain but it was enough to keep track of them.

"So how do you want to do this?" I asked quietly. I could only assume she wasn't as keen on the idea of simply attacking them as I was. She had to have been apprehensive, considering the last time she had fought with giants she had her leg broken.

"Quickly and cleanly. I don't want an extended fight with something that can snap us each in half," she said as much. "You can dash with your Voice, right?" I was about to ask how she knew that when I recalled that Farkas had seen me use my Whirlwind Sprint at Shimmermist.

"Yeah, something like that," I shrugged. "It feels more like something is launching me but it's kind of dashing."

"Then we can probably ambush them," Aela disregarded half of what I said. "I'll keep one of them occupied with my bow while you jump the other one. If we're lucky – and you don't screw up – they shouldn't be too hard to take care of."

"And here I thought you'd be against the frontal assault."

"Only when I have to take part in it," she smirked at me. Her painted face gave an alluring look of ferocity to the amused baring of teeth.

We jogged quietly behind the giants until we were within a distance I felt I could cross with my Thu'um. I drew my sword, gave Aela a curt nod and took a deep breath. "Wuld!" I Shouted and leapt across the small ditch between us and the giants.

They reacted with shocking quickness. My greatsword swept just short of its target. The giant tumbled away from the attack with a speed that spoke against its size. I followed the pull of my swing's weight and tumbled myself to avoid the retaliation by its companion. Dirt and stone blew into the air from the force of its club cracking the earth. I scrambled to my feet and turned a stream of flame towards the second giant.

It took the brunt of the fire against its hand and arm as it backed out of range. I couldn't chase it or even keep up the spell with the first giant moving to attack me. An arrow sunk into its shoulder and I was reminded of my own Companion. The giant grunted in pain and glanced back towards Aela. It only looked for a moment but that was apparently enough for it to pick up a nearby stone and hurl it with some accuracy at my Shield-Sister. I heard a surprised but painless curse so I didn't give it much more thought.

My attacker didn't seem inclined to pay much attention to the plight of its comrade. It was too preoccupied with trying to crush me with its axe. I narrowly avoided each successive blow and found myself regretting my heavy greatsword. As much as I felt it was appropriately sized for taking down a giant, its weight and size made it difficult for me to catch the grey-skinned hulk. The tip of my blade nicked it from time to time but I couldn't get a deep enough blow to do any real damage.

I found an opening when I ducked a sideways swipe of the giant's club. It would later occur to me that I gained a lot of advantages from opponents' overextending attacks. At the time, however, all that was on my mind was putting my shoulder into the hilt of my sword to swing it with enough force to sever the giant's arm at the elbow. It roared in fury and agony and stumbled back, grasping at its exsanguinating stump in some primal hope that all was not lost.

I caught my sword and snapped it straight before letting out a sharp "Wuld!" I shot forward, my greatsword sinking into my foe's chest like an oversized arrow. I couldn't help but feel pride that a giant couldn't stand up to a dragon.

Unfortunately my sword dragged me with the corpse when we hit the ground a dozen feet back. I released it so I could topple away from the madly flopping corpse and sword. I rolled to jump to my feet and spun around to check on Aela. I had somehow missed her turning into a werewolf but I managed to catch her tearing the arms off the giant as one. Her jaws clamped around the other beast's head and tore it clean away from its shoulders in a roaring tear.

Her teeth followed the body on the descent to the ground, tearing large gobbets of flesh away in a mad rampage of feasting. By the time the remains had a chance to rest there was little more than flaps and strips on its upper body. A stray thought reminded me that we hadn't eaten since we left and I couldn't blame her for being hungry.

She turned to me and I instinctively readied my sword. Years of fighting with such creatures as werewolves had conditioned me to being at least defensive with them. She began stalking towards me, but by the time she was halfway she was transforming back to her normal self. When she stood close enough I had to look down to meet her eyes she was simply a naked woman, albeit covered in a copious amount of blood. I had no idea how she handled the gently falling snow around us.

"Hungry?" I asked.

"Not anymore," she answered with an amused snort. "Giants taste like old socks but I was getting desperate for something to eat."

My eyebrow raised curiously. "Can't say I recall being desperate enough to eat old socks." In return for my remark I got an eye-roll and Aela's backside as she returned to her discarded clothing. I hadn't really noticed how far our battles had taken us. If I looked east, I could see the end of the mountains. "Go back to Whiterun without me. I'll come back and see you in a couple days," I said somewhat suddenly when Aela walked back over to me.

"Where are you going?" she sounded almost annoyed.

"Dragonborn stuff," I said with a simple shrug and set off towards the mountains. I gave her a brief wave over my shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon. Tell my sister and housecarl not to worry. At least one of them will probably be standing outside my door or something."

* * *

><p>AN: I promise that one of these months we'll get to something that isn't just semi-random bullshit.


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